By Amos Odhe
Bayelsa State would soon establish an agency to regulate activities that result in erosion and other environmental menace on its waterways.
This followed the 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.
Governor Douye Diri disclosed this on Wednesday during the 189th meeting of the state executive council in Government House, Yenagoa.
Governor Diri said both states successfully challenged the Federal Government at the apex court over the control of their waterways, resulting in the landmark judgement.
According to him, the state’s Attorney-General was studying the judgment and would provide the legal framework for the establishment of a state waterways agency.
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.
He directed the Commissioners for Information, Orientation and Strategy, and her Environment counterpart to collaborate in educating the public on the government’s position regarding black sand mining and the responsible management of natural resources in the state.
On power supply, the governor appealed for patience from residents over the ongoing expansion of electricity distribution under the state’s independent power project.
He explained that outages and delays were caused by infrastructure upgrade requirements and recent gas supply disruptions resulting from a leakage on the pipelines.
