Effects of abandoned mining pits on property value Dorowa -Jos South, Nigeria

Mining activities apart from adding to the revenue base of individuals, families and the government has negative effect on land cover and residents that adjoins the area, particularly, where such activities are done without recourse to sustainability. It is in this light that this study examined the effect of abandoned mining pits on residents’ health, environment and rental value of property in Dorowa a suburb of Bukuru in Nigeria. Information relating to the effects of mining was obtained from residents of the area. It was discovered that abandoned mining sites in the neighbourhoods have been an issue of great concern because it has become breeding ground for diseases, death traps to young children, building collapse etc. Surprisingly, despite these challenges, there has been a sustained influx of people to the area from Jos North and its environs as a result of reoccurring religious violence resulting in high land and rental values. The findings in this study show that detrimental conditions may be neglected if there are some compelling push effects from other neighbourhood(s). It is therefore recommended that residents should be educated on the danger of building houses close to mining sites and the plateau state government should as a matter of urgency rescue the security situation to curtail avoidable influx of people to the area. Also in the interim, the area should be fumigated to dislodge vector breeding insects and animals.