A fresh window of opportunities for wealth creation is opening in Bayelsa State for youths who are ready to make genuine money through mining of black sand, going by what the state governor, Senator Douye Diri has said.
Teh governor is already working towards the establishment of an agency that will regulate activities that result in erosion and other environmental menace on its waterways and also aims to stop illegal mining of black sand in the state.
The development is a fallout of the a recent Supreme Court judgment affirming the rights of Bayelsa and Lagos states over the control and management of above the surface activities on their waterways.
At the 189th meeting of the state executive council in Government House, Yenagoa, Diri said both states successfully challenged the Federal Government at the apex court over the control of their waterways, resulting in the landmark judgement.
He said: “Our government joined hands with that of Lagos State and we were in court with the Federal Government over the control of our waterways. At the end of the day, that partnership yielded results as the Supreme Court gave judgement in favour of both states.
“I have directed the Attorney-General to study the judgement and we shall now set up our own waterways agency so that activities taking place on our waterways, including the transportation of black sand and other resources, will be properly regulated under the authority of the Bayelsa State Government.”
The governor warned against illegal and unregulated black sand mining activities in the state, stressing that while the government supports youth employment and economic opportunities, all resource extraction must be carried out legally and sustainably.
He noted that black sand is a valuable natural resource deposited in Bayelsa and must be managed responsibly to avoid repeating the environmental devastation caused by decades of oil and gas exploration.
“There is no government, particularly the government of Bayelsa, that is doing so much to engage our youths and create opportunities for them to work that will at the same time prevent them from earning a living. We want our youths to work, but we want them to engage in legitimate activities,” he stated.
He expressed concern that indiscriminate mining of black sand could lead to severe environmental consequences, including erosion, environmental degradation and the destruction of coastal ecosystems.
“We are already suffering from the challenges of oil and gas exploitation, environmental pollution, environmental degradation and the loss of aquatic resources. We do not want a repeat of that experience through the unregulated mining of black sand.”
He stated that some operators, including foreigners, had been extracting and transporting black sand from the state’s waterways and coastal areas without the necessary authorisation from either the federal or state governments.
“Initially, some of these operators were not even engaging with government authorities. They were taking black sand from the high seas and transporting it without proper certification, authorisation or regulation. Such activities cannot be allowed to continue.”
He directed the Ministry of Environment to intensify engagement with mining operators and explore opportunities for value addition within the state rather than allowing raw materials to be extracted and exported without tangible benefits to the Bayelsa people.
“Going forward, we intend to back these measures with law. It will no longer be a matter of executive directives alone. A bill will be prepared and taken to the House of Assembly so that all stakeholders can contribute, and when passed, everyone will be guided by the law.”
Diri urged youths and members of the public to seek accurate information about government policies rather than relying on misinformation, assuring them that the administration’s objective is to ensure that Bayelsa’s natural resources become a blessing rather than a source of environmental and economic challenges.
