The Federal Capital Territory Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, in partnership with Apostle Associates Limited, has engaged members of Tsauni Community of Gwagwalada Area Council to advance efforts to reclaim degraded mining sites in the area.

The engagement session was organized as part of Apostle Associates Limited’s mandate, to conduct a comprehensive study on the impacts of large-scale mining-induced degradation in Tsauni.

In her remarks, FCT ACReSAL Project Coordinator Mrs. Caroline Opara emphasized the significance of the reclamation initiative, aligning it with the project’s core objective of sustainable landscape management. “The plan to reclaim Tsauni’s degraded mining sites falls under Component A of the ACReSAL Project. This engagement will deepen our understanding of the damage caused by mining activities,” she stated. “Your insights will ensure our interventions address actual community needs. Our priority is to restore these lands for agriculture and eliminate hazards created by open mining pits as well as the environmental and health risks”

Professor Mahdi Lawal, Lead Consultant for Apostle Associates Limited, presented preliminary findings and underscored the importance of community input. “This engagement allows us to integrate local perspectives into our study. We want to deliver a report that accurately reflects ground realities, enabling seamless reclamation activities in Tsauni,” he explained.

Technical presentations by environmental experts Dr. Murtala Uba and Dr. Kamal Suleiman identified unregulated mining as the primary factor responsible for the large scale degredation which is impacting on deforestation, toxic dust pollution, and plummeting agricultural productivity

During the interactive session, community members voiced concerns over the devastating effects of mining on their agrarian livelihoods. Many highlighted reduced crop yields and contaminated water sources. The Chief of Tsauni, Alhaji Sulihu Musa, raised an additional alarm: “School enrollment has dropped sharply as children and youths abandon education for mining, which they perceive as more lucrative.”

Commending ACReSAL’s inclusive approach, the traditional leader added: “This dialogue renews our hope that our land and our children’s future can be restored.”