The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, NMGS, has called for the thorough implementation of regulations governing the importation and handling of explosives in the mining sector.
The President of NMGS, Prof Akinade Olatunji, made the call in an interview with newsmen, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The call was in response to the Ibadan explosion on Jan. 16, which was reportedly caused by the storage of explosive materials by illegal miners.
OsunDailyNG recalls that no fewer than five people were killed, 77 others, injured and 58 buildings destroyed.
Olatunji noted that the regulations had specifications for different stakeholders, explaining that if the regulations were adhered to, the Ibadan incident would have been averted.
“These regulations have roles for various stakeholders including the Mines Inspectorate Department of the Ministry of Solid Mineral Development, the Directorate of State Security (DSS), and the anti-bomb squad of the Nigerian Police Force.
“So the only way to prevent re-occurrence of such is the full implementation of the regulations governing the importation and handling of explosives in the mining sector,” he said.
He said that defaulters of mining regulations should be punished to check the activities of illegal miners and improper storage of explosives, adding that this will serve as a deterrent to others.
According to him, Nigeria was blessed with huge potential in the mining industry and urged the government to engage professionals in growing the sector.
