From Jude Dangwamu, Jos
Plateau State is blessed with assorted minerals resources. These rare resources, found in large commercial quantities in the state, include tin, columbite, ruby, sapphire and topaz.
These natural resources have been a source of pride and wealth to the people, attracting people from diverse backgrounds and cultures to the state. Mining activities have been alive in the state since the nation’s independence, with major miners competing with artisanal miners, who embark on risky paths to make ends meet.
Hosea Kutmang is Inspector of Mines, Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. He argued that decades of sustained mining activities in the state have failed to reduce the wealth of resources deposited beneath the earth surface. He added that there were more mineral deposits in the state than was being estimated or imagined. He recalled that organised tin mining activity was initiated by British colonial companies working on the plateau, who used heavy machines to remove the top layers of the soil.
He said artisanal miners only began to mine in the early 80s: “They often drill pit-like holes from a perceived tin deposit location until it gets to the target while others wait patiently drawing the sands mixed with tin to the surface.
“These organised mining and the artisanal practices have left uncountable sites with dangerous scenes, which are yet to be reclaimed. This situation has degraded the environment in the form of rampant ponds, gully erosions sides, landslides among others.
“Sometimes, the process of excavating the deposits has led to the death of the excavators and the pauperisation of the local communities where these sites are located.
“Plateau State has 90 per cent of mining ponds in the country. Few are in Bauchi State and some in Kano State. But these ponds are divided into three categories. Those to be reclaimed which are closer to residential areas and have become threats to human beings and animals.
“We have those to be converted for agricultural purposes where communities can use them for their dry season farming as well as for fishery. Then, we have those that should be converted to recreational facilities, which is tourism.”
Chairman, Plateau State Miners Association of Nigeria, Musa Paul Gindiri, said: “We are in a position to make reclamation, but this time, it is not with the ponds but with the British Government. In Kenya, they had similar issues and the colonial governments were found culpable. As at today, they are making efforts to compensate the victims of their activities.
“If Plateau State government could make a case against the British Government, I can assure you that the British Government, who is a champion of issues of environmental degradation, would own up to what they had done in the past in the state.”
Governor Caleb Mutfwang said: “We in Plateau State are proud to say that we had the first mining institution. The first Mining Regulatory Authority, set up in the Northern Protectorate in 1903 was established in Jos. We believe that Jos is the home of mining.
“That is why, even in terms of devastation, we are the worst affected. We have the highest number of mining ponds in Nigeria, with over 700, that need to be remedied.”
Commissioner for Environment, Solid Minerals and Climate Change, Peter Gwom, said: “The state is already experiencing some environmental problems. There is need for collective efforts to address the challenges of global warming.
“Following a very strange environmental issue in Foron community of Barkin-Ladi Local Government, we sent out a team of experts to the area of the incident. It was discovered to be an earth tremor, not an earthquake as some people were saying. An earth tremor should be a thing of great concern to the state.
“An assessment has been carried out and reports have since been filed for further action. Aside that, there was a similar issue in Bokkos and we also had a landslide around Shere Hills in Jos East LG. We are trying to see whether there is any connection between the three major environmental happenings.
“We haven’t experienced the kind of heat that we had in June this year for a very long time. Despite the rainfall, the weather remained hot at that time of the year when we are supposed to be wearing jackets.
“The growing impacts of climate change in this once cold city of Jos are evident in the kind of heat experienced this year amidst the rainy season.”
Experts were of the view that mining activities over the years have contributed immensely to these climatic changes, coupled with years of indiscriminate felling of trees, without replacement. All of these developments, they said, called for deliberate measures to forestall further occurrences.
Director, Community and Rural Development, National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Mamud Muhammad Umar, told Daily Sun: “Our assessment has shown that Plateau State is prone to volcanic eruption because it has happened in the past in geological years, that is 300-500 years ago. We have identified Jos Plateau and Biu Plateau as volcanic eruptions prone-areas. So, you are likely to experience earth vibrations and must not necessarily be as a result of activities from here (Jos Plateau).
“There is what we call forth lines. These forth lines are like water pipes that link from one place to another. We have carried out a satellite analysis and there is a link between Plateau State and some foreign countries. If there is any occurrence there, the impacts will be felt here too.”
Umar drew attention to the status of the Ampidong Crater Lake, the only crater-lake in West Africa. It is located at Ampang West in Mangu LG: “Pidong Crater Lake is active, it’s not dormant. When you get there now, you can feel the warmness of the water; meaning, it is in contact with the magma down there and magma is often very hot.
“The simple fact is that there is every likelihood that in future, there is going to be an eruption again because the hotness is evidently clear and the alkaline content keeps increasing day-in-day-out.
“This thing keeps building up. When it gets to a certain level, it will explode and you keep losing lives and properties. The best thing is to advise the people not to reside in such areas. Or to evacuate whenever it happens because there is nothing you can do to stop it, is a natural disaster.”