Court Stops Mining Activities by Companies in Enugu

Justice A.R Ozoemena of the Enugu High Court on Wednesday restrained Milhouse Energy Services and African Pits & Quarries Ltd, owners and operators of a coal mining site at Awhum in Udi council from further mining activities in the area.

The restraining order followed a case brought against the operations of the companies by the Enugu State government through the Attorney General of the state.

The state government had accused the companies of environmental degradation to blasting without approval and due regulations, non-remittance of staff tax to the state government despite deducting same from the staff as well as non-remittance of pension contributions to the pension scheme despite deducting same from the staff, among others.

The Judge had after listening to submissions from Counsels to the state government restrained the companies from carrying out further activities in the area.

He agreed with the government that the activities of the companies had so far created environmental degradation at the large expanse of land situated at Ibite Awhum, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“An order of interim injunction is made suspending further activities, sealing, and closing down the premises of the Respondents situated at Ibite Awhum, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State”, the court said.

He therefore, adjourned the matter to October 3, 2023 for further hearing.

It could be recalled that Governor Peter Mbah had in June this year, banned illegal mining activities in the state as well as set up the Enugu State Committee on Review of Mining Activities to check the menace.

The Committee headed by the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Sam Ugwu, had earlier on Monday commenced the sealing up of illegal mining sites in the state.

He said the state enforcement of the ban on illegal mining would continue across the state until there was none left, stressing that government would not fold its hands and watch the environment destroyed and lives engendered.

Although Milhouse Energy Services was reluctant to state the quantity of coal carted away from the site daily, information from some members of the Awhum community alleged that well over 50 truckloads of coal leave the mining site each day.

“We have no room or land or even forest for illegal mining activities or any mining activities that undermine the environment, lives, and economic wellbeing of our people and the State today or in the future.

“Apart from determining the veracity of the licenses, which they claim they have, we also want to find out the mitigating plans they have in place.

“We are very much interested in what happens to these host communities and their environs many years after these miners have closed shop because if you take a look at the Niger Delta, the people are still suffering greatly from environmental degradation caused by oil exploration activities of many decades ago.

“Enugu powered the industries of Europe and beyond at some point through this same coal. Today, our environment is still bearing the scars and brunt of those mining activities. So, we will not fold our hands and watch that happen all over again.”