05/09/2019
A Review of Mine Closures Practices in Cameroon.
Abandoned mine pits are a serious concern in mining hot spots in Cameroon, needing the attention of policy makers and regulators. More and more minerals discovery in the country necessitates urgent actions to salvage the situation.
It was on this background that the Association of Managing Mine Closures Ambassadors (AMCA) with Head Quarter in Nigeria in collaboration with Social Enterprise for Environmental Development (SEED) in Cameroon, went down to the field to access the level of mine closures, rehabilitation and restoration and to come out with a Policy Brief for informed decision making.
Finding constituting the Policy Brief was restituted in workshops organised by SEED and Cameroon Australian Alumni Association (CAM3A) in mining communities and to stakeholders including; Research Institutions, Civil Society Organisations, Students and companies.
Synopses of this Policy Brief are;
1. Mine closure and landscape restoration is currently regulated and some of the practices and policies stand to promote the welfare of the community and contribute to environmental rehabilitation. This include; Environmental Assessment which could be a detailed Environmental and social Impact Assessment (ESIA), Simplified ESIA, Environmental Impact Notice (EIN) and/or Environmental Audits.
2. The constitution of the Rehabilitation and Closure Funds recently promulgated will certainly go a long way to promote rehabilitation of mine and quarry sites especially when a mine site closes prematurely. However the delay in the signing of the text of application continues to promote environmental degradation, loss of lives and properties.
3. There is a need for regular sensitization of miners on their responsibility towards the environment as well as the community in which they live.
4. There is a need for sector ministries at the level of devolved Administration i.e. The Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, The Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development and the councils to work together with civil society organisations in mining communities in educating artisan miners and in the monitoring of Environmental compliance.
5. A need to develop a procedural guideline for mine rehabilitation, restoration and closures for quarries and mine sites in Cameroon.
6. A mine closure report should be a pre-requisite before the granting of a mining licence to an operator. The report should actually state the kind of mine closure the proponent intends to undertake with costing which should be validated by a committee at all levels. In the case of a large scale mining by the Inter-Ministerial Committee and at the devolved administration by the Sector Delegates, councils with the involvement of the community.
7. A need for regular capacity buildings of compliance officers to enable them meet up with challenges in the sector especially that of environmental degradation, and health and safety.
