By Stevenie Michaels
Rt.Hon. Barr. Ernest Ibejiako, the Imo State Commissioner for Industry, Mines, and Solid Minerals, has pledged to restore sanity and tackle the challenges facing the mining sector. He made this commitment during a maiden stakeholders’ meeting with miners in Imo State over the weekend.
Ibejiako expressed his desire to achieve significant milestones during his tenure and acknowledged the roles of the federal government and the state government in addressing the sector’s challenges. He identified the need for cooperation among stakeholders, adherence to mining rules and regulations, relocation of miners to safer ecological zones, and appraisal of revenue collection as key areas of focus.
The commissioner also emphasized the need to curtail the proliferation of mining routes, which degrade the ecology and environment. He assured miners and stakeholders of the ministry’s support and assistance, encouraging them to cooperate with the ministry to achieve its goals.
Responding, Prince Ugochukwu Onyenwenwa, the state chairman of miners, thanked the commissioner for his commitment and pledged the support of miners and stakeholders.
The meeting ended with a communiqué signed by all stakeholders, outlining the key areas of focus and the commitment to work together to reform the mining sector.
