Stakeholders are calling for the decommissioning of all moribund coal mining sites in Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria.
This demand was made by a group comprising retired miners, their family members, environmental rights activists, and the media during a media interactive and town hall meeting on coal mining held in Enugu over the week.
The event was organised by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) in collaboration with other partners, including the New Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI), Neighbourhood Environmental Watch (NEW) Foundation, Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF), and Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN).
Various speakers at the forum highlighted that the 70 years of coal mining in the state have not brought any tangible benefits to the miners, their families, or the state as a whole. Instead, they pointed to years of pain, tales of woes, and environmental degradation.
The stakeholders resolved to write to the Enugu State government, urging it to take the lead in advocating for a just energy transition that respects both the people and the environment.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Philip Jakpor, the Executive Director of RDI, asserted that coal mining has not been economically beneficial to the state and has instead led to disinvestment in the communities. Jakpor noted that the Enugu State government banned illegal mining activities in 2023 but argued, “While this action was good, we had anticipated that the state government would work with the Federal government to carry out an environmental audit to ascertain the true health of the bedrock to continue to sustain life in Enugu.”
“There are fears that Enugu may be sitting on a time bomb due to the underground mining that happened during the mining periods. But instead, it would seem the state government embarked on a re-certification exercise of miners.
“The announcement last month by the Enugu State Government of December as the deadline for mineral title holders to commence coal mining operations in the state lends credence to our argument. There are many cases of the earth collapsing when locals are farming. There are open pits, groundwater polluted, and the communities overrun by herdsmen who have practically scared and chased away the original landowners.
“Locals allege that trucks laden with coal are leaving Enugu every day, with no proper documentation to determine if it is illegally done or with the full support of the state government. If it is with the support of the state, we should know how much revenue is now coming in. We do not want to believe that a few individuals are now reaping what is the commonwealth of Enugu citizens.”
The stakeholders, therefore, demanded that “The Federal government should commence a full and detailed audit of the post-coal mining activities in Enugu. Decommission the moribund mines to avoid further environmental degradation and loss of human life. Profile former miners and ensure adequate compensation is paid to them. If they are now deceased, their families should be identified and compensated. Inform and regularly update citizens of Enugu on the status of coal mining. Make public the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by the selected firms. Make public any agreements the companies have with the coal mining communities. Properly explain the role of the Enugu State government in the extraction of coal. Is it a spectator, a collaborator, or are only some officials of the government running the show? Explore potential in renewable energy sources. Support mining communities in forming a network to share ideas, monitor their environment, and report unsustainable practices by firms engaging in coal extraction in their communities.”
In their separate remarks, Afulike Okezie, Project Officer of NEW Foundation; Barrister Chima Williams, Executive Director of EDEN; Ubrei Joe-Mariere, Director of Campaigns and Administration at CODAF; and Mrs. Florence Aneke, Executive Director of NELCCI, all endorsed the decommissioning of coal mining in the state.
Meanwhile, retired miners and the family members of some deceased miners lamented years of neglect by the government.
