Anambra Government and Sand Miners Resolve to Work Together

For the construction industry, the Anambra State Government and the Sand Miners Association of Anambra State have resolved to work together following a peace meeting brokered by the state’s Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Chief Anthony Ifeanya, and the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Felix Odimegwu.

The resolution comes after the government expressed its displeasure with the sand miners, who were accused of destroying a newly constructed road in Fegge Onitsha.

The state’s Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State (OCHA) Brigade subsequently invaded the sand miners’ beaches, leading to a protest by the association.

During the meeting held in Onitsha, the two commissioners explained their concerns about the alleged activities of the sand miners and their impact on the newly constructed Niger Street Road Fegge Onitsha, which also leads to Onitsha Main Market.

However, the sand miners denied the allegations, stating that they could not be responsible for the road’s destruction when they had been maintaining it even before the government’s intervention.

Chief Chris Mbaegbu, Chairman of the Sand miners in the state, and his team suggested that the government should also hold lorry and trailer drivers accountable for the road’s alleged damages, as they regularly use the road to offload goods for the traders in the Onitsha Main Market.

The sand miners also expressed their dissatisfaction with the OCHA Brigade’s invasion of their sand beaches, which led to the seizure of equipment and the sealing of their sand beaches, later unsealed by the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

They emphasized that they were licensed and law-abiding citizens who paid taxes to the state government.

The meeting concluded with an apology from the two commissioners for the actions of the OCHA Brigade, and they promised to ensure the return of all seized materials.

They also appealed to the sand miners to assist the government in regulating the activities of their customers, particularly the tipper drivers who overload their vehicles and cause damage to the roads with sand splashes.

This collaboration between the government and sand miners is a positive step towards sustainable development and maintaining the state’s infrastructure.

It will be essential for both parties to work together to ensure the proper regulation of sand mining and transportation in the region.