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Mining industries must treat polluted water

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By Okunloye Abiodun

Investment should be made by Mining industries to prevent water contamination.

At the Diagnostic Assignment Meeting on Nigeria’s Mining Sector Governance Landscape and Prospect, which was coordinated by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the Ford Foundation, Olamilekan Adegbite, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, advocated for the necessity of industries making investments to ensure that water bodies are not polluted as a result of mining activities. A representative from the Ministry, Engr Magashi, said on behalf of the Minister that if water pollution is unavoidable, then the industry should take the necessary steps to purify the water.

He stated that mining is a significant contributor to Nigeria’s economy and that its activities, regardless of how large or little they are, are inevitably hazardous to the environment and generate a vast amount of waste. According to the Minister, mining operations slowly but surely degrade both the quality and quantity of water; as a result, preserving the water’s quality is the most pressing environmental concern at mines and mineral processing sites. It has a significant impact on both the surface water and the ground.

Necessary measures and investments should be made in the sector.

The mining industry has a significant effect on water supplies. Some ways mining may affect surface and groundwater include spills, segmentation, acid mines, drainage, erosion, and the disruption of the hydrological cycle. When it comes to water resources, acid mining drainage is a major concern. Mines with acid discharge may cause long-term river ecosystem damage. Hence, industries should invest heavily in preventing water contamination, treating and containing any contamination which does occur in affected reservoirs, canals, pipelines, and other storage facilities. Environmentally friendly techniques and technology should also be promoted within the mining industry.

Furthermore, Mr. Dele Ayankele, Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria, stated in his presentation that the world is now through a transformation to green energy at this moment and that Nigeria possesses everything necessary for this transformation that the rest of the world is seeking. This conference is much appreciated; he believes it will help them progress and supplement the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development’s efforts to ensure the mining industry fulfils its function and mission.

Gender equality has not been fulfilled in the mining industry.

Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu, Director of the Policy Innovation Centre at NESG, gave an address on gender challenges in the mining industry, noting that women are underrepresented at all levels of the industry. She stated that women being marginalized and segregated creates situations favorable to sexual exploitation or abuse and that disparities are structural since various policies have different effects on men and women. According to Dr. Dirisu, despite efforts by the government and gender-focused institutions to promote gender equality across sectors in Nigeria, significant gender inequalities continue, especially in the mining industry.

She attributed this partly to the prevalence of gender stereotypes, which she argued perpetuate erroneous beliefs about the characteristics women and men are expected to have and display in their traditional roles. She states that women in mining areas have restricted opportunities for land rights, finance schemes and mining licenses, all of which contribute to the worsening of poverty, the exacerbation of inequalities, and the threat to the establishment of sustainable communities as a result of the decommissioning of mines.

The female gender is negatively influenced by the mining industry.

Moreover, domestic responsibilities limit the free movement of the gender, which further threatens their economic security. The mining industry has a negative effect on women, kids, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities. As residents of mining communities, employees and service providers in the mining industry, they suffer damage to community assets and water. She also noted that they bear a disproportionate share of the burden of issues relating to health and safety, criminality, prostitution, substance abuse, ruined farmlands, and environmental damage.


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AN-Toni
AN-Toni
Editor
9 months ago

Mining industries must treat polluted water. Investment should be made by Mining industries to prevent water contamination.Express your point of view.

Abusi
Abusi
Member
9 months ago

Mining industry should come up with mechanism that can help to treat the polluted water they have caused. Especially in areas where there are not access to water.

Ultra0711
Ultra0711
Member
9 months ago

Maintaining potable water standards is the most important environmental challenge for mines and mineral processing facilities since mining activities gradually reduce both water quality and quantity.

Christiana
Christiana
Member
9 months ago

Nigeria’s economy relies heavily on mining, and any mining operation, no matter how big or small, produces a lot of waste and poses risks to the environment.

Bola12
Bola12
Member
9 months ago

The mining industry needs to devise mechanisms to aid in cleaning up the water pollution it has generated. This is especially true in places where water is scarce.

Tonerol10
Tonerol10
Member
9 months ago

Mining industries must treat polluted water. They need good hands to to the work of mining.

Tolaniiii
Tolaniiii
Member
9 months ago

It is well acknowledged that mining has a substantial impact on Nigeria’s economy and that all mining operations, no matter how big or little, pose serious risks to the surrounding ecosystem and produce copious amounts of waste.

Hassan Isa
Hassan Isa
Member
9 months ago

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development has stressed the need of companies making financial commitments to prevent the contamination of water sources.

Haykaylyon26
Haykaylyon26
Member
9 months ago

Mining industries contribute to the development of the economy but still else they should treat the polluted water for safety of the environment

Godsewill Ifeanyi
Godsewill Ifeanyi
Member
9 months ago

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development has said that enterprises must make financial commitments to prevent the contamination of water sources.

Adesanyaj72
Adesanyaj72
Member
9 months ago

At mines and other sites where minerals are processed, the most important environmental concern is ensuring that the water’s purity is maintained.

Taiwoo
Taiwoo
Member
9 months ago

We have to encourage gender equality across all fields in Nigeria, both by the government and institutions with an emphasis on women.

Nwachukwu Kingsley
Nwachukwu Kingsley
Member
9 months ago

Acid mining drainage is a key concern when it comes to water resources, and mines with acid discharge have the potential to cause long-term harm to river ecosystems.

Kazeem1
Kazeem1
Member
9 months ago

Because of this, they will be able to make progress and supplement the efforts that are being made by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to ensure that the mining industry fulfills its purpose and mission.

Chibuzor
Chibuzor
Member
9 months ago

foster false assumptions about the traits women and men should have and the behaviors they should exhibit in their conventional roles

DimOla
DimOla
Member
9 months ago

Mining industry should full responsibility to ensure that the water body in that environment is not polluted peradventure it got polluted they should ensure that the water is purified. The community where the mining is taking place may depend on the water as their sole means of survival.

Iyanu12345ogg
Iyanu12345ogg
Member
9 months ago

if water pollution is unavoidable, then the industry should take the necessary steps to purify the water because it can be hazardous to the environment and generate a vast amount of waste.

SarahDiv
SarahDiv
Member
9 months ago

Mining might be very important to the economic of the nation likewise the water could be very important to the livelihood of the people residing in that community. Therefore, mining industry should ensure that the water body are not polluted.

ikeoluwa
ikeoluwa
Member
9 months ago

It’s a most that all contaminated water waste by mining activities most be treated with adequate measure before it’s been released into the surrounding to avoid hazards which can lead to diseases and possible death.

Adeolastan
Adeolastan
Member
9 months ago

All the necessary stakeholders in the mining sector of the economy should do all their possible best to ensure that water polluted by the mining activities should be treated for human consumption and also concerning the gender inequality, majority of female doesn’t like the sector because of the stress.

theApr
theApr
Member
9 months ago

When it comes to water resources, acid mining drainage is a major concern, and mines with acid discharge have the potential to permanently destroy river ecosystems.

Remi1
Remi1
Member
9 months ago

Enterprises must make financial commitments, according to the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, to stop the contaminating of water sources.