Closure of event ravine: Govt. replies critics

Against allegations by some interest groups in Uyo that the closure of Event ravine sand mining site was a ploy to paralyze certain economic activities, the state government has made its case know.

According to the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Prince Enobong Uwah, such allegations were far from the truth and misinforming. Uwah, who took journalists to the ravine located on Udua Udofia, Uyo pointed out that decades of mining sand from the ravine without giving heed to proper environmental protection measures had turned the ravine into a giant erosion site, a disaster area which now threaten the entire Ewet community and its environs.

“Government is not witch hunting anybody as claimed by some people but it is concerned for the lives of everyone living in this area”. He said the sand mining had to stop for government to commence urgent remedial measures to prevent the disaster from worsening.

It was learnt that the sand mining business was majorly owned by Fabian Ekpenyong and his family, which has been at it for about four decades. Also, it was revealed that up to 600 trips of sand were evacuated from the site on a daily basis and employing hundreds of youths in the area as such, the business was too lucrative for its owners to quit easily.

However, speaking with our reporter, Mr. Ekpenyong claimed he obtained a license to operate the sand mine from the federal government, adding that he was quite aware of environmental protection measures concerning his business which he observed and blamed the encroaching erosion on touts, who illegally mined sand around the area without taking steps to reclaim the land.

Meanwhile, an environmentalist, who spoke in confidence to newsmen, blamed government for allegedly channeling the underground drainage carrying flood water from Uruan Street and the adjoining streets to the ravine without first of all building a concrete reservoir.

“The velocity of water entering that ravine from Uruan Street drainage and other places may also be responsible for the worsening erosion”, he stated.

He therefore advised government to include, as part of its proposed remedial measures, the building of a concrete reservoir without the ravine to receive the torrential flood water which is channeled there and also permanently stop sand mining.