The Commissioner for Environment, Ecology and Beautification, Architect Mike Okonkwo says the present administration is poised to
protect the environment from sand mining and excavations.

Architect Okonkwo made this known in his office when the executives of Oko women group led by the Transition Committee Chairperson of Orumba South Council Area, paid him a courtesy call.

The Commissioner said that the land mass of the state is deteriorating due to erosion and that government  is taken necessary measures   to stop environmental
degradation and disclosed that he had visited Oko  on that issue and  warned youths against illegal sand excavation.

He  added  that he sealed off the area and requested for environmental impact assessment report and authorization  letter to know if the operators were  dully registered which he said, the operators have not
brought and assured the women that all necessary security personnel will be deployed to the area so as to ensure that  the World Bank continues with the erosion control work in that axis.

Earlier, the Transition Committee Chairperson of Orumba south, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, said that Governor Willie Obiano’s administration has
maintained peace, stability and attracted  more developmental projects to  the state, and called on the women to help the state by cautioning their youths against violence and report any issue to appropriate quarters.

The leader of the group, Mrs. Maureen Izuegbunam who narrated their ordeal, said they have suffered much in the hands of the excavators pointing out that about fifty houses have been submerged by erosion
and called on the government to intervene as the World Bank intervening on the erosion sites  have said  that if the excavators continue, they will not get back to site  and commended  Governor Obiano for his efforts
so far.