August 25, 2022Forty-five years old Hussaina Ahmad started battling asthma about 15 years ago. “This thing costs me my night when it attacks,” she said, “It looks as if I am dying in a matter of minutes.”
Now six years old, Annur is being aided by his younger brother, Musa despite the three years interval between them. “They have punctured almost every portion of my house,” said Muhammadu. “There was even a time a big flying rock landed in my compound. But we haven’t had any casualties yet and we dare not complain,” he explained.“You cannot see anything. Dust would blur the entire environment when they are melting asphalt. And unfortunately, they don’t compensate us.”
The sound and vibration that follow the blasting, disturb not only the kids but even the adults and the aged persons. Everyone, according to Muhammad, scampers around for safety when the company blast. Keeping up with drugs, just like Hussaina is the main escape window from the unexpected attack for many of the asthmatic patients in the community.
“When rocks explode or when they are melting the asphalt, the dust and the heat harms us,” said Hauwa Musa, a 55-year-old resident who has battled asthma for years. The negative impact of the pollutants, causes health hazards including respiratory diseases, skin dermatoses, asthma and lung cancer, according to Nuhu.
“The 2017 agreement was about the provision of two hand-held boreholes to the community,” Abu said, “But the representatives of the community came back and pleaded that we should replace the boreholes with the construction of a school. So we built the school to the level it is.” For those whose houses are cracked, Ciroma said the quarrying site was there before the houses. “There is a development and expansion, when you look at it critically you will understand that even the company was there before the houses, and all I know is that anyone that approached us with his complaint we will take the right decision for him, but if he doesn’t report or complain we have nothing to do because we don’t know what happened,” said Ciroma.
Mohammed believes the vibration from the explosion weakens the soil in addition to flying rocks damaging crops. He moves a step forward to show our reporter some pebbles. “It is dangerous for people farming here,” he noted. “The vibration weakens the soil and when it rains, the soil breaks inside and uprooted the plants.”
Musa Birshi, an aged man, feared the community could be hit by drought. Cracks on his house could be managed, but not scarcity of water. The old man said he had spent over N50,000 this year just to ensure his well does not lack water. According to him, the residents were not complaining hitherto. “Their quarrying site at Birshin Fulani has been there for a long period. So this complaint you brought now, it is recently we are hearing about it,” he said. “If they have any issue with the company, let the community write to us. But if they are making noise, we will allow them.”
Going by the accounts given by the residents, Triacta brings nothing but discomfort. Their accounts further indict the company to be a lawbreaker. Section 23 of the National Environmental Regulations states that a mining company must inform the adjourning community, at least 48 hours before it carries out any mining activity.“No one could tell when they wanted to blast.
But, Tahir, the Assistant Federal Mines Officer, would not avail WikkiTimes of the scope of the lease given to the company to operate. He also declined comments about the agreement the company signed with the community. “This is a government office,” he exclaimed. “Nobody will give you that. Nobody will give you to you to [sic] know whether they have land or not. You can’t get it.”