The Oyo State Mineral Development Agency has sealed some mining sites operating without consent letters and community development agreement in the state.
The Director General (DG) of the agency, Mr Abiodun Oni, disclosed this while giving an address shortly after the exercise in Ibadan, the state capital.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, Oni revealed that the decision was to restore order by stopping all illegal activities in the mining sector for the good of the state.
He said prior to the sealing of the mining sites, the agency had requested for the consent letters, community development agreements and other relevant documents that legalize the operation of every mining industry in the state.
Oni explained that the reason for the verification of the relevant documents was that the state government, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, was ready to partner with all stakeholders to sanitize the Oyo State mining sector as contained in the Mining Act and all relevant laws.
The DG maintained that the agency would not condone any act of illegality, revealing that the governor had signed an Executive Order, which gives the agency the power to seal any mining industry that failed to comply with the rules and regulations guiding the sector.
According to the statement, the coordinating Director of the Agency, Mrs Jolade Omidiran, urged miners and all relevant stakeholders to submit their documents before the enforcement team gets to their site.
