The Oyo State Government has called for deliberate actions by all stakeholders to end illegal mining, saying the act portends great danger to the environment, human existence and health.
Abiodun Oni, the Director-General of Oyo State Mineral Development Agency and Chairman of Pacesetter Mineral Development Company (PMDC), made the call during a stakeholders’  meeting aimed at tackling  the pervasive issue of illegal mining in the state.
The meeting was held at the House of Chiefs, Parliamentary Complex, Secretariat, Ibadan.
It brought together key stakeholders from government agencies, mining companies, environmental groups, and local communities affected by mining activities.
Speaking, Oni pointed out that adverse effects of illegal mining ranged from   environmental threats to revenue loss and insecurity.
During  interactive sessions, stakeholders deliberated on various strategies to combat illegal mining effectively in line with the vision of the Seyi Makinde-led administration.
He said  the task force set up by Governor Seyi Makinde to halt unauthorised mining activities across the 33 local government areas  would help drive the governor ’s determination to secure mining communities from insecurity and exploitation.
Oni reiterated  the need for deliberate action by all stakeholders to end the era of illegal mining in the state.
He highlighted adverse effects of illegal mining on the environment, such as land degradation, deforestation, and water pollution, which threaten biodiversity and livelihoods of the people resident around mining areas.
Oni emphasised the agency’s commitment to promoting responsible mining practices while safeguarding the state’s mineral resources as well as providing adequate security for lives and properties of residents of mining communities.
He said: “We  found out that millions of naira is  being carted away by these illegal miners thereby denying the state and federal government of the much needed revenue to drive their respective development agenda. That’s why we are here with the traditional rulers and community leaders who are signing the consent letters to those miners in order to sensitize them on the need to involve the government at all stages of giving consent for mining activities in their various domains.
“Illegal mining not only undermines legitimate mining operations but also deprives the state of revenue and jeopardises sustainable development goals while threatening security and safety of affected communities.
“Henceforth, before they sign the consent letters, the state government must be involved in what they’re doing so that even when investors come for mining, everything would have been properly regularized within the legal framework so that the state, federal, and local communities involved can adequately benefit from it.”
Speaking on behalf of other monarchs in Oke-Ogun, Â the Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi, emphasised that the event underpinned the urgency of addressing illegal mining, which poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges to the state.
 At the end of the  deliberations, the stakeholders agreed to continue working closely with the state government, the agency and other relevant authorities in the state to enforce regulatory frameworks, raise awareness, and promote responsible mining practices in their various domains.
 Also present at the event are the Director General of Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-economic Development (OMASED), the agency’s General Manager,Mrs. Funke Omidiran and top officials of the agency as well as other traditional leaders from different parts of the state.