Jos: While tin mining in Plateau began in 1902 under the British Administration, large-scale mining started in 1905. The Land Proclamation Acts of 1904 and 1910 and the Mineral Act of 1903 gave British prospectors and mining companies large portions of land for tin mining.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the mining industry led to the development of large market centres in Jos, Bukuru, Mangu, and Shendam, among others. History has it that mining activities attracted immigrants to Jos and its surroundings. The industry also created jobs for the British and a few locals and improved foreign exchange for the colonial government. However, this industry resulted in serious environmental pollution, including erosion and land devastation, and reduced the amount of arable land available for crop production.
For years, mining, particularly the illegal operations, has been a double-edged sword. While it contributed to the economic survival for many, it left behind a trail of destruction like child labour, and critically, a surge in insecurity fueled by unregulated foreign miners entering the state. The infiltration of criminal elements turned once peaceful mining communities into hotspots for banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and the proliferation of illegal arms.
The crude nature of mining activities claimed the lives of many residents, particularly young people who get trapped in the deep holes while searching for mineral deposits. Another concern is that booming illegal mining activities, particularly in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bassa, Mangu, Jos North, and Jos South local government areas, led under-aged children to abandon farming, which they combined with their academics.
Mr. Gyang Gerre, the community leader of Jol in Riyom LGA, accused some parents of influencing their children’s decision to drop out of school and go into mining. Gerre, who decried the rising number of out-of-school children in Riyom and other mining communities, said this situation posed serious dangers to the growth and development of society. He emphasized that children in both primary and secondary schools no longer attend school, and the number of dropouts in Riyom is alarming.
Mr. Jonathan Dangyang from Gyel Community, Jos South, also expressed concerns over the growing trend of sexual immorality and drug abuse among young people at mining sites. Dangyang highlighted the rate of unwanted pregnancies among teenage girls, adding that miners were taking advantage of young girls and impregnating them without taking responsibility.
Apart from educational and social consequences, there are health implications and increasing deaths recorded at the mining sites across the state. Rev. Fr. Stephen Akpe, the parish priest of St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Du in Jos South LGA, confirmed that many deaths were recorded at various mining sites. A medical expert, Dr. Nyam Azi, also highlighted the health implications associated with increasing mining activities, noting that crude mining practices led to diseases such as pneumoconiosis and lung cancer.
Worried by these trends, Gov. Caleb Mutfwang recently issued an executive order suspending all mining activities in the state. The decision, made after consultations with traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, and security agencies, among other stakeholders, aims to restore order, protect lives, and ensure responsible mining operations. Despite criticisms citing unemployment concerns, the governor insisted that the move was in the state’s best interest.
The governor assured that the reform in the sector would benefit artisanal miners in the long run, with plans to reorganize and formalize the mining sector. This includes establishing a mining village where all mining activities, including processing, will occur, and profiling all miners to ensure compliance with licensing requirements. Gov. Mutfwang called for understanding and support from the residents to reposition the mining sector as a more viable and secure venture. While the outcome remains to be seen, success depends largely on the collective support from the public and key stakeholders.