The Enugu State Government has rolled out a new set of mining regulations aimed at ensuring fair revenue sharing for host communities, enhancing safety measures, and bringing order to previously unregulated mining activities across the state.
Announced on Monday by Dan Nwomeh, Senior Special Adviser on Media to Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the reforms are spearheaded by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Solid Minerals and Mining. They are designed to formalise mining operations, improve traceability, and enhance government oversight in the mineral sector.
According to the statement, the move is part of Governor Mbah’s broader policy agenda focused on transparency, accountability, and safeguarding lives. It follows years of informal and poorly managed mining practices that the government says have caused over 20 fatalities in various sand and burrow pits throughout Enugu State.
The newly introduced rules include mandatory registration for all operators in the sand, laterite, and mudstone mining sectors. This requirement applies to pit owners, union members, tipper drivers, and excavator operators, all of whom must now register with the Ministry of Solid Mineral Resources. Each mining site must also maintain a record of its workers and submit this list to the ministry to facilitate monitoring and compliance.
A unified Burrow Pit Owners Union has also been formed to coordinate operations across the state and to maintain a centralised record of mining activities. Furthermore, any proposed price increases within the mining sector must now be reviewed and approved by the ministry to guard against arbitrary pricing.
The reforms place a strong emphasis on safety and community development. Mining operators are now required to implement safety protocols certified by experts, submit to regular government inspections, and immediately suspend operations in any pit deemed hazardous. Additionally, operators must pay levies and royalties, including community development fees, to ensure that host communities receive tangible benefits from the resources extracted from their land.
The government has also mandated the creation of Community Mining Committees in each host community within a week of the announcement. These committees will work in partnership with the Office of the Special Adviser to oversee local mining operations. Names of committee members are to be submitted promptly for formal inauguration.
Reaffirming its commitment to public safety and equitable resource management, the government warned that it will no longer tolerate unsafe and unregulated mining activities, emphasising its determination to ensure that mineral wealth is used to benefit both the state and its people.
