The member representing Afikpo North West in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, has expressed grave concern over the devastating effects of blasting activities by a construction company in Amata Amagu Village, Ibii Community.
He highlighted the collapse of several buildings, cracks in others, and the detrimental health and environmental impact on residents. Ikoro emphasised that many residents have been hospitalised due to the blasting, and others have lost their homes and property.
Speaking on the floor of the state assembly, Ikoro condemned the company’s actions as “wicked and inhumane”, questioning their decision to blast stones less than a kilometre from residential areas, a clear violation of mining regulations.
“A quarry site cannot be situated less than 3 kilometres away from a residential area. This company is putting the lives of our people at risk,” he stated.
Ikoro further expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s practice of transporting the extracted resources to other communities for development projects while neglecting the host community, whose infrastructure remains in poor condition.
“It is unacceptable for them to exploit our resources and leave our roads in terrible shape,” he declared.
While presenting the matter to the assembly, Ikoro revealed that he has also reported the issue to relevant authorities. He confirmed that officials have visited the site to assess the damage and will provide recommendations.
“The authorities have visited the site and I am waiting for their report before we take further action. However, initial reports indicate that the company has promised to fix the community’s roads, but we require concrete action, not mere promises,” he emphasised.
Ikoro painted a grim picture of the community, where houses have collapsed, many are cracked, and residents are forced to rely on polluted water due to the blasting activities.
“The situation is especially dire during rain seasons,” he added.
“Residents cannot use rainwater because it is black in colour and causes illness. The blasting has turned their own resources into a curse.”
The lawmaker remains resolute in demanding justice for the affected community and holding the company accountable for its violations. He expressed his commitment to ensuring that they comply with the mining regulations and address the damage they have caused.
