‘Sand mining endangering our environment’

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has raised an alarm about the growing menace of sand mining in Lagos communities, saying that unrestricted mining of sand is endangering the environment and the well-being of the society. In a statement by the NCF Director General, Adeniyi Karunwi, the foundation lamented that sand mining was endangering the environment […]

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has raised an alarm about the growing menace of sand mining in Lagos communities, saying that unrestricted mining of sand is endangering the environment and the well-being of the society.

In a statement by the NCF Director General, Adeniyi Karunwi, the foundation lamented that sand mining was endangering the environment as the demand for sand increased in the construction industry.

He said continued dredging in the state’s shorelines is an illegal activity capable of causing major environmental challenges for Lagos stressing that,“Environmental impacts of sand mining and dredging are disastrous.”

According to the foundation, soil erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of bio-diversity, soil contamination resulting from leakages of chemicals into the soil, deforestation, coastal erosion and loss of aquatic lives are possible effects of dredging and mining. 

The statement further expressed worry that dredging in some places had been largely responsible for the loss of breeding habitats for sea turtles, which depended on sandy beaches for their nesting and other biodiversity.

The NCF therefore called on government agencies responsible for stemming this increasing tide of sand mining and dredging to put a halt to it.