The Ebonyi State government, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Mines, sealed a mining site in Ishiagu on Wednesday after a landslide incident that resulted in the deaths of two persons.

Briefing journalists at the site in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Hon. Chidi Onyia, said that the sealing of the Greenfield mining site is aimed at conducting thorough investigations to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the recent fatalities.

Hon. Onyia Emmanuel emphasised the importance of this inquiry, stating that “lives are already at stake, and there is no way we can hastily conclude our findings.”

The commissioner noted that initial reports suggest the unfortunate event was not due to negligence but rather a natural occurrence, cautioning against hasty press statements that have exacerbated tensions within the community.

“It’s quite unfortunate that what happened here took the lives of two of our people working at the mining site. We commiserate with the families and others who were injured, and as a government, our primary concern is to protect the lives and well-being of our citizens,” he stated.

The commissioner further reported that relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Civil Defence Corps, are actively involved in the investigation.

While discussing the nature of mining operations, Onyia acknowledged that incidents can occur globally, even in countries renowned for their mining practices, such as South Africa, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

“These are things that could go beyond human control,” he remarked, while also stressing that this particular incident did not appear to stem from carelessness.

He urged the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions based on unverified information, stating that most of the individuals who released press statements had never visited the site nor engaged with the families.

The Honourable Commissioner indicated that the mining site in question predominantly employs open-cast methods, harmonising with the government’s advocacy for safer mining practices in the region.

Also speaking, Henry Ahanotu, the CEO of Greenfield Metals Ltd., addressed the unfortunate landslide incident that occurred at the mining site, attributing it to a natural occurrence.

Ahanotu emphasised that safety is the company’s top priority, with stringent measures in place to ensure that Health, Safety, and Environment (HHC) standards are maintained rigorously.

“It is quite unfortunate that this incident happened,” Ahanotu remarked, expressing his sorrow over the involvement of workers in the landslide.

“We did not expect this to occur, as we take every precaution to ensure our workers adhere to safety regulations.” (The Guardian)