By Dare Akogun
The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has urged the Plateau State government to intervene and halt illegal mining activities in the Jos Wildlife Park and its surrounding communities, advocating for the rehabilitation of these areas to their original state.
This call from RDI follows a distress signal from residents of Tudun Wada, Dong, and Federal Low-Cost Housing areas, who have expressed concerns over the hazards posed by ongoing illegal mining activities, resulting in the formation of sinkholes on their farmlands.
Residents allege complicity among park officials, claiming that authorities turn a blind eye to escalating mining activities.
According to reports gathered by RDI, these mining activities have led to a decline in the population of elephants, baboons, and hyenas within the park.
Additionally, the affected communities, with a collective population of approximately 800,000 people, have been grappling with fatalities caused by loose soil collapsing during farming activities.
Established in 1972 by Governor Joseph Gomwalk, the Jos Wildlife Park was once celebrated as a bastion of nature conservation.
However, over the past decade, it has fallen victim to illegal mining, allegedly supported by corrupt government officials who profit from the miners’ activities.
Tobias Lengnan Dapam, a Board member of RDI, highlighted the environmental degradation and loss of tranquility within the park due to incessant digging and other harmful environmental practices.
Reacting to the development, RDI Project Officer, Ifeoluwa Adediran said
that the situation in the Jos Wildlife Park and surrounding communities
is worrisome in view of the disruption of the livelihoods of the locals,
threats to peace and security and potentials for revenue generation
being allowed to fritter away.
“The Plateau State Government must immediately restore the park to its
former glory by proscribing mining activities there and declaring the
environment and surrounding communities’ disaster zones”
Adediran explained that there is need for a comprehensive environmental
audit of the Jos Wildlife Park and surrounding communities, preparatory
to their rehabilitation even as she added that for this to happen there is need for consensus building among host communities on the need to stop the practice.
