Ebonyi State House Of Assembly Shuts Down Greenfield Metals Company Over Illegal Underground Mining Operations And Regulatory Failures

Ebonyi State House of Assembly seals Greenfield Metals over illegal mining and lack of environmental impact reports in Ivo Local Government Area.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 3, 2026, 7:26 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The AUTHORITY

Legislative Action Against Unregulated Mining

The Ebonyi State House of Assembly Committee on Solid Mineral Development has taken a decisive stance against industrial non-compliance by ordering the immediate cessation of operations at Greenfield Metals Company. During a recent oversight visit to the Ihetutu Community in Ivo Local Government Area, committee members identified unauthorized underground activities that were deemed a direct violation of established protocols. Chairman Ifeanyi Nwakpu, who led the delegation, emphasized that the firm must remain sealed until it fully aligns with the legal frameworks governing the extractive industry in the state.

A Critical Lack Of Documentation

The committee expressed significant concern over the company inability to produce essential regulatory paperwork during the inspection. According to legislative findings, the firm failed to present a valid Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Impact Audit reports, or a Community Development Agreement. Furthermore, there was no verifiable evidence of Internally Generated Revenue payments to the state government. The absence of these documents suggests a broader failure to comply with the Mining Act, which serves as the foundational legal structure for all solid mineral activities in Nigeria.

Mitigating Risks To Host Communities

Legislators noted that the unverified underground operations posed an immediate threat to the lives and property of residents within the Ihetutu locality. By bypassing safety audits and environmental checks, the company activities could lead to unforeseen geological hazards or ecological degradation. Committee members Abiri Godwin Abiri and Stephen Orji Igwe reinforced this position, stating that the health and safety of the citizenry must take precedence over corporate interests that ignore the rule of law.