By: Adeosun Ewatomi
Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged the federal government and state authorities to take strong enforcement and regulatory actions against illegal mining operations. They have called for strict monitoring measures to be put in place in order to prevent further avoidable tragedies from occurring across the country.
The group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), released a statement over the weekend addressing the recent collapse of an illegal mining pit located within the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which spans across Gashaka Local Government Area in Taraba State and Toungo Local Government Area in Adamawa State. The accident, which occurred on November 6th, has resulted in the presumed deaths of about 30 gold miners in the Buffa zone of the national park.
CAPPA expressed deep concern over the prevalence of illegal mining camps and mine collapses across the country, stating that these incidents call into question the operational effectiveness of the Mines Surveillance Task Team and other regulatory bodies designed to monitor such activities. Despite existing regulations, illegal mining continues to thrive, revealing significant gaps in enforcement, often at the expense of local communities.
The organization's field investigations have uncovered numerous illegal and abandoned mining camps operated by both local and foreign, often Chinese, interests in states like Nasarawa, Osun, and Ekiti. These unregulated mining operations are primarily carried out by impoverished locals and vulnerable groups, such as women and children, who risk their lives by digging as deep as 200 feet with minimal safety measures and equipment.
CAPPA stressed that 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 as well. The organization also emphasized the pressing need to address the socioeconomic conditions that compel locals into these unsafe mining practices, as poverty and systemic exclusion often drive many to engage in dangerous mining operations as a means of survival.
CAPPA warned that as global capital drives a frenzy for minerals to support a "green transition," mineral-rich communities in Nigeria will remain locked in cycles of exploitation and danger unless they are allowed a rightful stake in the wealth extracted from their lands. The organization stated that without structural changes that redistribute this economic power, illegal mining will continue as an imposed, desperate option for the impoverished.
CAPPA noted that while the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Department (ASSMD) is tasked with helping small-scale and artisanal miners formalize their operations and access support, the costs of obtaining a mining lease and other official requirements make this process difficult for many. For instance, the recent revisions to the fees for obtaining a Small-Scale Mining Lease, which now stands at N300,000 for two Cadastre units, are unrealistic for many impoverished individuals and communities who rely on artisanal mining for survival. This barrier allows big players and corporate profiteers to secure the lease and exploit the labor of artisanal miners, who work under harsh and unsafe conditions to reap profits.
Beyond the financial burden, CAPPA stated that the application requirements, such as submitting a pre-feasibility study, proof of adequate working capital and technical competence, and precise coordinates for the proposed site, are simply unattainable for many artisanal miners, whose level of education and economic standing limit their ability to meet these demands. This exclusion from legal mining avenues pushes them toward unsafe and exploitative options.
The statement urged the federal government to reform mining policy to make licensing processes accessible and affordable for local communities and small-scale miners, suggesting the simplification of application processes and the provision of technical and educational support to equip small-scale miners. Additionally, CAPPA demanded that corporations exploiting resource-rich areas across the country be held accountable for any human rights and environmental violations they cause, and called on state governments to exercise strict oversight of corporate mining operations and enforce penalties, including license revocations, to deter corporations from bypassing safety and regulatory obligations.
CAPPA also stressed the need for a task force on mining that operates with responsibility, rather than force, when dealing with vulnerable communities, as using force only creates resistance and worsens tensions at mining sites. The government must protect lives and prioritize the rights of these communities, who are often left with the scars and costs of resource extraction that does not benefit them.
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