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Mining: Enugu committed to supporting genuine investors, sets up environmental remediation, security trust funds
…vows to go after illegal miners, says acts contravene state laws
Following the continuous clampdown on illegal mining activities in the state, the Enugu State government has reiterated its unwavering commitment towards supporting genuine investment activities through the provision of investment enablers for ease of doing business such as adequate security infrastructure, attractive tax regime and road projects.
While disclosing this, weekend, shortly after the State Executive Council Meeting, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, said the state had resolved to establish the Environmental Remediation Trust Fund (ERTF) and the State Security Trust Fund (SSTF) where miners legally sanctioned by the government with genuine licenses would contribute an agreed sum of money into the fund for remediation projects that will help to safeguard the environment, ensure that health hazards resulting from the mining activities are mitigated and also enable adequate security of lives and property.
The commissioner, who chided illegal miners for destroying the environment and contaminating people’s sources of living, said the state will stop at nothing in ensuring that all illegal mining sites were shut down and culprits brought to book for their crimes, as their activities contravened the provisions of the state laws.
He further accused them of environmental, economic and security sabotage against the people of the state, adding that those with the desire to invest in mining activities should approach both the federal and the state governments for proper licensing, certification and compliance processes.
“The illegal mining activities are causing huge environmental damage. A lot of our people are exposed to risks associated with water pollution and some of the channels of water now contain carcinogenic elements that are cancerous and exposing our people to ill-health,” he said.
According to him, the state decided to come up with measures, such as the establishment of the ERTF, the SSTF and other collaborative initiatives after receiving the reports of independent assessment on the activities of legal miners, which posed severe threats to the environment and health of the citizens, to cushion the effects of the challenges and to also call the legal or genuine miners to their corporate social responsibilities.
“These legal miners will have to participate in human capital development so that they do not just come and mine in these localities, but also discharge their corporate social responsibility. This will be in the form of collaboration with the state on the establishment of Vocational Training Schools, to train our people to acquire technical skills and develop capacity to work in area of mining and other engineering related works,” the AG added.
Dr. Udeh, while highlighting the revenue generation efforts of the state and its commitment to achieve a zero percent in the poverty headcount, while moving the state economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion, noted that the miners would have to pay taxes for their truck haulage of tons of coal on the state road, as the deadweight of their trucks damage the roads, stressing that it would help the state to continue to maintain roads and make them accessible for the citizens.
The AG also added that the SSTF would be used to maintain and provide additional security infrastructure for the safety of the investors, miners and the entire Enugu people.
News
Baltasar Engonga: Wife of Equatorial Guinea ANIF boss sextape with another man leaked
Wife of the sacked Director General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, ANIF, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, has been caught in extra-marital affairs.
Video footage emerged of Engonga’s wife having an intimacy with another man.
This was disclosed by popular social critic, Martins Ortse aka VeryDarkMan via an Instagram post on Saturday.
Sharing pictures of the Engonga’s wife from the video footage, VeryDarkMan said: “Just when I thought it was all over about this Equatorial Guinea man, the whole thing is getting more interesting. I just saw a video of his wife and another man, if you watch this video; it’s crazy. If you see how another man was na*cking his wife.”
Engonga was recently caught with about 400 sex tapes with several women during an investigation into a fraud case.
The leaked videos have continued to generate controversy via the social media space.
Reacting, First Lady Constancia Mangue Obiang expressed outrage over the scandal during a meeting with Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue.
Mrs Obiang called for immediate government intervention to uphold the dignity of Equatoguinean women and protect their privacy in the digital age.
Following the discovery, Engonga was relieved of his duty and subsequently arrested. He was remanded in prison on Friday.
News
Three police officers arrested for torturing student to death in Kwara
Three police officers, who allegedly beat a student of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Suleiman Olayinka to death at Tanke Bridge in Ilorin, the state capital, have been arrested and detained.
The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on Friday.
Reports said that the incident occurred on Tuesday around 2 p.m. when the victim got off a motorcycle and was approached by three officers who then dragged him to the ground.
An eyewitness claimed that the victim had arrived to collect N1,000 he had already transferred to a Point of Sale (POS) operator, intending to give the money to the rider who brought him.
“I was with him, as soon as he got the money, the officers came out of a tricycle and dragged him to the ground. The victim kept asking what offence he had committed, but they didn’t let him speak,” the source said.
The witness further explained that the victim pleaded with the officers, informing them that he was asthmatic, but they ignored his pleas.
In a reaction on Friday, the spokesperson said, “the Kwara State police command is aware of this unfortunate incident which led to the sudden death of Suleiman Olayinka (M) 27yrs.
“A complaint of cheating and criminal breach of trust was reported against the deceased. Police detectives were immediately detailed to investigate the case.
“Meanwhile the officers involved in the incident have been identified, arrested and detained for further investigations as regards the death of the suspect.
“Further updates will be provided promptly as investigations unfold,” the statement added.
News
400 sex tapes: Equatorial Guinea’s Baltasar remanded in prison
The former Director-General of the National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been remanded in Malabo’s Black Beach Prison, Saturday PUNCH has reported.
The embattled former anti-graft chief was arrested days ago for allegedly recording over 400 sex tapes involving the wives of prominent figures in the country.
This scandal surfaced during a fraud investigation into the 54-year-old economist, resulting in an impromptu search of his home and office by ANIF officials, who reportedly discovered several CDs that revealed his sexual encounters with different married women.
As the footage leaked online, causing a media uproar, Equatorial Guinea’s President, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, dismissed Engonga.
According to Decree No. 118/2024, dated 4th November, the dismissal was due to “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct for the performance of public duties.”
A viral video surfaced on social media on Friday, showing Engonga handcuffed on both hands and legs during a court appearance.
Confirming the situation, French online blog Afrikmatin reported that Engonga, who was officially removed from his role on November 6, 2024, was subsequently chained and transferred to Malabo Central Prison.
He faces charges of corruption and embezzlement.
Additionally, online newspaper UGStandard reported that the sex tapes began circulating on social networks while Engonga was already held at Malabo’s notorious Black Beach Prison on charges of embezzling public funds, as reported by state television, TVGE.
In a fact-checking report published Wednesday, Dubawa verified that Engonga had indeed been taken into custody on corruption charges and is currently being held in Black Beach Prison.
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