By Mabinty M. Kamara
As illicit mining and its related activities continue to pose economic, social, and environmental threats to the sub-region, members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament are meeting in Freetown in a bid to devise mechanisms to curb illegal activities across the region.
The week-long sessions hosted in Freetown on diverse sessions started on Wednesday 31st January this year with a parliamentary seminar on the theme “Illegal Mining and its implications in the ECOWAS region’’.
Speaking at the opening session of the event, Dr. Veronica Kadie-Sesay Head of the Sierra Leone Delegation of members of the ECOWAS parliament noted the impact of illicit mining that affects Security, environmental management, revenue mobilization, and more in the ECOWAS region. “Illegal mining has posed a significant threat to the economic growth and sustainable development in West Africa,” she said.
She added that despite the huge mineral resources in the continent, it continues to grapple with challenges of revenue mobilization. “Rogue miners connive with locals and indulge in illicit mining and the extraction of our minerals using very dangerous methods, thereby undermining government policies,” she said. She added that the negative ramifications are not only limited to revenue mobilization but also environmental degradation which expose the residents to health hazards, such as soil erosion, and water pollution among others.
However, she was hopeful that the conference will bring forth a solution. “I am of the firm hope that this house will establish strategies to combat illegal mining in the region. I hope that ECOWAS Parliament will be able to introduce legislative instruments to enforce regulations and build institutional capacity to be able to curtail illicit mining,” the female MP said.
In his address, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio stated that the leadership of the Fifth Parliament headed by a Sierra Leonean MP had contributed immensely to promoting peace, security, and stability in West Africa, stressing the importance of the theme that “illegal mining and trafficking in precious minerals negatively impact peace, stability, security, development, governance, the rule of law, the environment, and the economy”.
“Our sub-region has contended with illegal mining even before our nations gained their independence. I thank the ECOWAS Parliament for organising this workshop, which underscores the importance of collective action in addressing challenges that transcend borders,” he said.
The President also reminded the legislators from different countries that through their activities and actions in all member states, they as Members of Parliament had made invaluable contributions to achieving the regional bloc’s integration and development objectives as articulated in its Vision 2050.
“Our continent possesses over 60 different types of minerals, accounting for a third of the world’s mineral reserves. The ECOWAS region is richly endowed with abundant reserves of a large variety of non-renewable natural resources, comprising mineral resources, crude oil, and natural gas. These extractive resources account for a significant portion of Africa’s proven assets,” he said.
The president went on to say that illegal mining of precious minerals is often accompanied by serious human right abuses and can have severe environmental impacts, including deforestation, land degradation, and pollution. “As policymakers, we must make concerted efforts to strengthen further the legal and regulatory frameworks to curb illegal mining significantly,” the president warned.
President Bio acknowledged that no single country on its own could address the complex issue of illegal mining, adding that they must work hand in hand with their regional partners by sharing best practices, intelligence, and resources to effectively combat illegal mining across borders.
Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Honourable Dr Sidie Mohamed Tunis, who served as the speaker of the ECOWAS parliament in the last four years reminded his colleagues that the events were pivotal to the Parliament, stressing that they marked the conclusion of the lifespan of the Fifth Legislature and consequently the end of his tenure.
“The threat to illegal mining in the ECOWAS region is having far-reaching implications for the security, socio-economic and environmental fabric of the region,” he noted and stressed that a careful revision of the numbers available to the legislature provided a compelling need to give attention to the region’s mining sector.
Minister of Petroleum and Energy of The Gambia, Abdoulie Jobe, speaking on behalf of President Adama Barrow, described Sierra Leone as a magnificent place with mixed cultures, stating that the gathering was a show of celebration of brotherhood, peace, and democracy in the sub-region.
While receiving an award on behalf of President Barrow for his commitment to regional peace and security, the Minister said that the award signified the commitment of ECOWAS to promoting peace in member countries.
He said the award should remind heads of state and government that regional peace and democratic values were important on the agenda of the ECOWAS Parliament, emphasizing that peace was a foundation on which a country could grow. President Bio was also awarded by the regional legislature.
The seminar preceded an extraordinary session that is expected to end today 2nd February. It will be followed by a regional youth and women summit which ends on the 9th of February this year.
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