The African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) says governments across Africa must enforce laws against illegal mining and criminal networks exploiting the continent’s mineral resources.
Chairman of the AMSG and Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made the call while reacting to the reported deaths of more than 100 artisanal miners following the collapse of a gold-mining site in the Central African Republic.
Alake said the African Minerals Strategy Group would continue to advocate a continental approach that strengthens mining regulation, improves safety standards and promotes the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining.
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Unregulated Mining
Alake described the incident as a profound tragedy, saying it highlights the urgent need to address the dangers associated with illegal and unregulated mining across the continent.
He expressed condolences to the Government and people of the Central African Republic, particularly the families of the victims, stressing that the miners were breadwinners and members of families and communities.
According to him, illegal and unregulated mining not only deprives African countries of legitimate revenues, damages the environment and facilitates illicit mineral trafficking, but also exposes miners to grave risks.
He stressed that no mineral is valuable enough to justify the loss of human life.
Alake said Africa’s mineral wealth must translate into decent livelihoods and economic development rather than preventable deaths.
He called for greater protection of mining communities and stronger measures to ensure that artisanal and small-scale miners can work under safe and regulated conditions.
“Africa’s mineral revolution must be a revolution that values both the mineral beneath our soil and the human life above it,” Alake said.
He said that the Zamboye tragedy must not become another statistic that is mourned and forgotten.
He added that they owe the victims of Zamboye more than condolences, saying they owe them action.
