The speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Mohamed Tunis has expressed concern over the implication of illegal mining on the region’s economy, security, and environment.
Tunis who spoke at the opening of a seminar on illegal mining and its implications in the ECOWAS region in Sierra Leone, said the threat of illegal mining in the ECOWAS Region is having far-reaching implications on the fabric of the region.
He stressed that the complex interplay of security, social-economic dividends, and environmental impact on the soil and waters, have emerged as pressing concerns that demand immediate investigation and finding sustainable solutions.
He said the situation has necessitated the need for the community to pay more attention to the mining sector.
Citing the situation in Nigeria, the outgoing Speaker said, that nearly 80% of mining in northwest Nigeria is being carried out illegally, which has increased conflict since 2014, spreading across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, and Zamfara states.
The Speaker further explained that the Community is only raking in a meagre sum from the sector despite the huge potential.
With reference to the contribution of the mining sector to the GDP of some Member States, Tunis said, the ECOWAS Vision 2050 document indicates that Ghana benefits 7.5%, Burkina Faso 10.2%, Ivory Coast 4%, while Nigeria receives only 9%.
He further said, that with a properly regulated mining sector, various economies would be far more impactful.
“The threat of illegal mining in the ECOWAS region is having far-reaching implications on the security, socio-economic environmental fabric of the region. Despite the potential of the mining sector to positively impact the lives of community citizens, the complex interplay of security, social-economic dividends, and environmental impacts on the soil and waters have emerged as pressing concerns that demand immediate investigation and finding sustainable solutions.
“A careful revision of the numbers available to us provides a compelling need to give attention to the region’s mining sector. As an example, nearly 80% of mining in Northwest Nigeria is being carried out illegally, which has increased conflict since 2014, spreading across Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara States.
“Referring to the contribution of the mining sector to the GDP of some Member States, the ECOWAS Vision 2050 document indicates that Ghana benefits 7.5%, Burkina Faso 10.2%, Cote d’Ivoire 4%, while Nigeria receives only 9%. With a properly regulated mining sector in the region, it is expected that our various economies would be far more impactful.
“Furthermore, illegal mining of precious minerals in West Africa has succeeded in not only depriving Member States of much-needed revenue to grow their economies through improved GDP but has also created instances of instability through banditry, kidnapping, thuggery, and in some cases insurgency.”
He therefore said the Seminar is part of the efforts of the regional Parliament to examine the implications of illegal mining in the region.
“Therefore, to examine the phenomenon of illegal mining, as well as its socio-economic, security, and environmental implications on the advancement of Member States, the leadership of the Parliament found it befitting to dedicate the last Parliamentary Seminar of the Fifth Legislature to the topic.
“We expect that at the end of the seminar, we will have a greater appreciation of the regional mining frameworks and challenges to their implementation and make recommendations where regional collaboration can be fostered to boost the sector.”
Also speaking, Sierra Leonian head of delegation, Veronica Kadie Sesay said, the Western Region of Africa is overwhelmed with a sharp increase in illicit mining which is posing a serious challenge to economic growth, revenue mobilization, environmental management, security, and safety for residents.
She said that it is unfortunate that despite Africa’s huge mining potential, the continent continues to endure challenges to muster desperately needed revenue.
“Rouge miners connive with locals and indulge in illicit extraction of our minerals deposit using very crude and dangerous methods thereby undermining government policies,” she said.
The Sierra Leone Head of delegation Hon. Sesay said the negative ramifications are not only limited to stifling revenue acquisition, but also environmental degradation that exposes the residents to health hazards and impedes other livelihood activities.
She said that deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, flooding, and reduced farming opportunities are only a few implications of unregulated mining.