Stakeholders warn of serious environmental and health impacts

As Enugu celebrates the 70th anniversary of coal mining in the region, stakeholders have raised serious concerns about the long-term environmental and health impacts of mining activities.

Coal exploration actually began in what is now Enugu State in 1909, and production at mines in Onyeama, Ogbete, Iva Valley and Okpara increased from 25,511 tonnes in 1916 to an estimated 583,422 tonnes before declining during the Nigerian Civil War, which began in 1967 and ended in 1970. By the end of the war, much of the southeast had been devastated, and many emigrant mining experts, mainly from Britain and Poland, had left Nigeria.

The withdrawal of experts, coupled with the discovery of commercial quantities of oil, caused the Nigerian government to become complacent, abandoning coal mining and the vast infrastructure at the mines then operated by the Nigerian Coal Corporation (NCC). The NCC tried unsuccessfully to manage the operations for the next 30 years, but failed. It finally collapsed in 2002.

The Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Philip Jakpor, during a meeting with residents and a media discussion on coal mining in Enugu confirmed that former miners have not been dismissed nor have their employment been terminated, adding that the only legacy of mining that the few survivors have left is the Colliery Quarters near Iva Valley, where those whose properties have not been sold by the government still live. Despite these processes, illegal mining continues in Enugu.

“Our concern is that almost 70 years of mining activity has left no positive legacy for Enugu; neither in its finances nor in its environment and certainly not for the few surviving former miners, many of whom live in poverty, deprivation and grievance. It is on this basis that instead of promoting investments in dirty energy, the Enugu State Government, armed with ample evidence of the environmental impacts of coal, should be at the forefront of calling for a just energy transition that respects people and the environment,” Jakpor stated.

Recall that the Federal Government had signed a N3.7 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chinese company HTG-Pacific Energy Consortium to generate power from coal in Enugu. This development has worried the local communities, most of whom were unaware of the project and its likely impact on the environment, the executive director stated, explaining further that “in 2013, the coal fields were sold by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to new owners with a working agreement with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to generate an estimated 1,000 megawatts from coal. Unfortunately, this initiative is yet to see the light of day.”

Although the Enugu State Government has announced a ban on illegal mining in Enugu and has begun sealing illegal coal mining sites, Jakpor said this is being done without environmental impact and mitigation certificates for the activities of artisanal miners. “While this action was good, we expected the state government to work with the federal government to conduct an environmental audit to establish the actual condition of the bedrock to continue sustaining life in Enugu. There are fears that Enugu may be sitting on a time bomb due to underground mining that has taken place during mining periods.

“We believe the right thing to do was to start decommissioning sites that have become dead and unsafe for residents. Instead, the state government seems to have embarked on a recertification exercise for miners. The announcement last month by the Enugu State government that December is the last date for mining title holders to commence coal mining operations in the state bolsters our argument,” he added.

Jakpor, therefore, called on the state government to press the Federal Government to launch a full and detailed audit of the remaining coal mining operations in Enugu; close the closed mines to avoid further environmental degradation and loss of human life; profile former miners and pay them adequate compensation; inform and regularly update the people of Enugu on what is happening in relation to coal mining; make public the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by the selected companies; explore the potential of renewable energy sources and support mining communities in creating a network to exchange ideas, monitor the environment and report unsustainable practices by coal mining companies in their communities.

In the same vein, Project Officer, Neighborhood Environmental Watch (NEW) Foundation, Afulike Okezie, said that communities are facing a critical issue that not only affects the economic landscape but also their health and well-being, as well as the sustainability of their environment. “Coal mining, while historically significant, has left behind a complex legacy—one that includes both opportunities and challenges. We need to address the full spectrum of impacts of coal mining, especially the often overlooked environmental degradation and health hazards it poses,” Okezie said.

Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) Executive Director, attorney Chima Williams, added: “We need to remind those in government that their job is to manage what sustains us, so they should be concerned about the impact coal is having on the lives and livelihoods of residents, including veteran coal miners.”

For the Director of Campaigns and Administration, Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF), Ubrei Joe-Mariere, “The Enugu State Government should not be talking about mining at a time when the global community is moving towards clean energy. Coal mining disrupts the social and economic life of local communities. It is a major cause of landslides, erosion and large-scale mining only benefits multinational corporations. In mining communities, the relationship between mining companies and communities is always broken.”