The National Environmental Standard Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) says the mining sector will play a significant role in the federal government’s efforts to diversify and develop the nation’s economy.

The agency noted that illegal mining had become a recurring decimal capable of undermining the nation’s economy.

“It is not only prevalent in a particular state but has also become a common phenomenon in this nation,” said the NESREA coordinator in Enugu, Pele Egbagiri, on Wednesday. “For instance, in Enugu state, with a huge deposit of coal, the federal government has abandoned coal mining, leaving it for hoodlums who have engaged in the illegal mining of this very important solid mineral capable of giving power to the entire South-East and beyond.”

He added, “These illegal miners engage in illegal business without considering the environmental hazards associated with unprofessional coal mining. Their only interest is to make quick money to the detriment of the nation’s economy.”

The NESREA official added that the environmental hazards associated with illegal mining activities in Enugu were enormous, citing landslides, earthquakes and the emission of poisonous gas from the mining sites.

Mr Egbagiri also disclosed that illegal miners had lost their lives on several occasions, “most times they are buried alive, especially when necessary precautionary measures are not applied or strictly adhered to.”

According to him, the large deposits of solid minerals across the nation have not been tapped.

He said solid minerals like coal, gold, tin, steel and others, when fully explored, would boost the nation’s economy and contribute significantly to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The NESREA coordinator said investment in the mining sector was key and the only way to rescue Nigeria from operating a mono-economy, urging the government to urgently design a comprehensive investment plan to explore the nation’s mining sector through massive investment in the solid minerals deposited in large amounts across the country.

(NAN)