- Ex-Kogi deputy gov: I thought I was dead
Residents of Guzape area of the Federal Capital Territory have raised the alarm over an imminent calamity resulting from constant blasting of rocks by a construction company within the residential area.
They want the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and other relevant agencies of government to stop further blasting of rocks in the area, saying their lives were in danger.
They alleged that the company, Gilmor Nigeria, has disobeyed all known laws of the land and international conventions on the use of dynamites and explosives for mining and other purposes, thereby putting their lives in danger.
Some of the residents said their houses are currently in danger of collapsing as a result of tremors associated with the blasting of rocks by the company.
Former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, who spoke on behalf of the residents at a news conference, said that constant activities of the company had put the lives of the residents and their families in danger.
Achuba said the company usually chooses odd times when the people are at home to carry out their activities with the buildings in the areas quaking and sending shock waves through residents’ spines.
He said: “On Friday, they carried out one of such blasts which shook our houses.
“I thought I was already dead. It was after a while that I regained myself.
“Often when they do these things, they don’t send us notices. I was not aware of what they were doing.”
He said “the occupants and owners of properties within Guzape have been living peacefully without fear of loss of life or property for almost a decade, with various developments approved by legitimate statutory authorities, including the Federal Capital Development Authoruty (FCDA).
“For about three months, we noticed with tremor incessant blasting of rocks very close to our residential accommodation, contrary to statutory regulations governing blasting of rocks whether for construction or mining exercise.
“At any point the blasting is done, the whole residential houses within the vicinity of the blasting site shakes, thereby injuring the integrity of these properties and the lives of our wives and children staying within these premises.
“We reported to the police and caution was given to the construction company by the police to observe regulatory guidelines for blasting of such nature yet Gilmor Construction Company Limited refused, failed and neglected to follow the path of reasoning for human existence.
“Some of our co-residents took a suit to restrain the company from further damage and innocuous blasting.
“At the verge of the court granting this order, we discovered various extraneous interests building up thereby introducing legal technicalities delaying the course of justice.
“The suit within this period has witnessed three adjournments after days of delay before being assigned to a judge.
“The case is being adjourned till 16th April, 2024.
“Instead of applying reasonable sense of judgment that a suit being before adjudicatory institution, parties are bound to maintain the status-quo, Glimor Construction Ltd decided to deploy serious and devastating explosive mechanism greater than the earlier ones for further blasting.
“We are quite aware that the purpose of the blasting is for construction of road for the development of Guzape District, but this road should have been done over 10 years ago before any development plan for construction of houses is given approval by FCDA.
“As of now, the construction that is intended has minimal developmental consequence on the area as other alternative roads have taken over the utility advantage of the road under construction.”
He said while they are not against the development of Guzape District, of what importance is road construction when the human beings that are supposed to stay there are dead or are living in fear of heart failure sequel to incessant tremor.
He said the company failed to comply with the provisions of section 20 of National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulation 2013 made pursuant to National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Establishment Act) 2007.
The section, he said, states that “A person shall not locate a quarry or engage in blasting within three kilometres (3km) of any existing residential, commercial or industrial area”, adding that “a visit to Guzape blasting site shows that the affected residential accommodations are within 50 metres to 100 metres radius to the blasting site”.
He said further that the company, Glimor, has consistently failed to comply with blasting guidelines provided under section 23 of National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Regulation), which says blasting operations shall not be carried out at the rush hours of 7am – 10am and 5pm and beyond or in weekends.
He alleged that the blasting operation failed to comply with Explosives Act and Regulations made thereunder, hence Regulations 22 provides that within 1,000 metres to the site of blasting, the discomfort vibration, noise, air over pressure, fly rock, dust, fumes or the impact is felt within from the site or epicenter of the blasting, adding that what Glimor is doing within the site falls within the meaning of “act of blasting” under section 43 relating to interpretation of words.
Achuba said “as a construction company, Glimor is bound by the provisions of National Environmental (Construction Sector) Regulations 2011 which provides for guidelines to be obeyed in relations to the health, welfare and safety of life and property during construction exercise.”
A mild drama played out when one of our correspondents visited one of the sites of Gilmor’s activities on Thursday only for workers and officials of the company to take to their heels.
