….calls for fight against Illegal, unregulated mining in Africa
By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA – THE African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Friday, mourned the killing of over 100 miners in gold-mine collapse in Zamboye, Central Africa Republic, CAR.
In an emotion laden condolence message signed by the Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman, AMSG, Dr Dele Alake on behalf of the group, described the report as a “profound tragedy”, and expressed deepest condolences to the Government of CAR and the victims’ families.
He said: “The reported deaths of more than 100 artisanal miners following the collapse of a gold-mining site in Zamboye, in the Central African Republic, is a profound tragedy that should trouble the conscience of our continent.
“These were not just miners, they were our brothers, fathers, uncles, sons and indeed, breadwinners.
“On behalf of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), I extend my deepest condolences to the Government and people of the Central African Republic, and most especially to the families who have lost loved ones in this terrible disaster. We stand in solidarity with them at this moment of grief.”
However, the AMSG boss called on governments in Africa to rise the occasion to strongly fight against illegal mining and strengthen regulations to safeguard the lives of their citizens and the encouragement from those who have taken advantage of the people’s condition and weak regulations.
“But beyond our condolences, this tragedy must compel us to confront an uncomfortable reality: Illegal and unregulated mining is not only depriving African countries of legitimate revenues, damaging our environment and facilitating the illicit trafficking of our mineral resources. It is also putting the lives of our people at grave risk and robbing us of our virile men.
“This tragedy is again, a painful reminder that behind every statistic about illegal mining are human beings—young men and women trying to earn a living, support their families and escape poverty.
“But we must note that no mineral is valuable enough to justify the loss of a human life.”
He continued, “As Africans, we must therefore approach artisanal and small-scale mining with both firmness and humanity. We must enforce our laws against illegal mining and the criminal networks that exploit our people and mineral wealth, but we must equally create pathways for artisanal miners to operate legally, safely and productively.”
He also assured that, “The African Minerals Strategy Group will continue to advocate a continental approach that strengthens regulation, improves mine-safety standards, promotes responsible formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining, protects mining communities and ensures that Africa’s mineral wealth translates into decent livelihoods rather than preventable deaths.
“This tragedy must not become another statistic that we mourn today and forget tomorrow.
“Africa’s mineral revolution must be a revolution that values both the mineral beneath our soil and the human life above it.”
In conclusion he said, “We owe the victims of Zamboye more than our condolences. We owe them action.”
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