November 11, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on the Federal Government to take immediate action to prevent further mining tragedies in Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement signed by the group Media, Communication Officer, Robert Egbe, made available to The Yoruba Times.
This follows the recent collapse of an illegal mining pit in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which left about 30 gold miners presumed dead.
The which occurred on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, made the group expressed concern over the proliferation of illegal mining activities, despite existing regulations, highlighting serious gaps in enforcement that harm local communities.
“Despite existing regulations, illegal mining continues to proliferate, revealing serious gaps in enforcement, often at the expense of local communities,” CAPPA said.
“Our field investigations have uncovered illegal and abandoned mining camps operated by both local and foreign—often Chinese—interests in states like Nasarawa, Osun and Ekiti among others. Artisanal miners, primarily impoverished locals and vulnerable groups such as women and children, risk their lives digging as deep as 200 feet with nothing but shovels and minimal safety measures and equipment.
“This unregulated extraction not only facilitates the plunder of communal resources but also leads to severe environmental degradation, leaving behind hazardous open pits that endanger not only the miners but the broader community alike,” said Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA.
“Without structural changes that redistribute this economic power, illegal mining will continue as an imposed, desperate option for the impoverished. While we continue to sound the alarm about the dangers of illegal mining, we must also address the conditions that push individuals into these high-risk activities,” CAPPA stated.
The organisation noted that though the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Department (ASSMD) under the Ministry of Mines and Steel is tasked with helping small-scale and artisanal miners formalise their operations and access support, costs of obtaining a mining lease and other official requirements make this process difficult for many.
“For instance, recent revisions to the fees for obtaining a Small-Scale Mining Lease as announced by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in July now stands at N300,000 for two Cadastre units as opposed to an initial N10,000. While this fee might seem modest for mining cooperatives and corporate interests, it is unrealisable for many impoverished individuals and communities who rely on artisanal mining for survival. In practice, this barrier allows big players and corporate profiteers to secure this lease and proceed to exploit the labour of artisanal miners, who work under harsh and unsafe conditions to reap profits for them.
“Beyond the financial burden, applicants are also required to submit a pre-feasibility study, proof of adequate working capital and technical competence, and precise coordinates for the proposed site. For many artisanal miners, whose level of education and economic standing limit their ability to meet these requirements, these demands are simply unattainable, excluding them from legal mining avenues and pushing them toward unsafe and exploitative options
“Using force on communities only creates resistance and worsens tensions at mining sites,” CAPPA warned. “The government must protect lives and prioritise the rights of these communities, who are often left with the scars and costs of resource extraction that does not benefit them.” CAPPA mentioned.
CAPPA emphasizes the need for a task force on mining that operates responsibly, prioritizing community rights and safety. The organization warns that using force on communities only creates resistance and worsens tensions at mining sites.
