The Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) and Nigeria Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has called for stricter mining regulations across Africa after more than 100 artisanal miners died in a gold mine collapse in Zamboye, Central African Republic.

The minister described the incident as a profound tragedy that should compel African countries to take urgent action to protect lives in the mining sector.

In a statement, Alake expressed condolences to the government and people of the Central African Republic, particularly the families of the victims.

Alake said: “These were not just miners; they were our brothers, fathers, uncles, sons and, indeed, breadwinners.

“On behalf of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), I extend my deepest condolences to the Government and people of the Central African Republic, and most especially to the families who have lost loved ones in this terrible disaster. We stand in solidarity with them at this moment of grief.

“But beyond our condolences, this tragedy must compel us to confront an uncomfortable reality: Illegal and unregulated mining is not only depriving African countries of legitimate revenues, damaging our environment and facilitating the illicit trafficking of our mineral resources.

“It is also putting the lives of our people at grave risk and robbing us of our virile men. This tragedy is again a painful reminder that behind every statistic about illegal mining are human beings, young men and women trying to earn a living, support their families and escape poverty.

“But we must note that no mineral is valuable enough to justify the loss of a human life.”

Alake urged African governments to adopt a balanced approach to artisanal and small-scale mining by enforcing laws against illegal mining while creating pathways for miners to operate legally, safely and productively.

He said that mining communities must be protected and Africa’s mineral resources harnessed to create decent livelihoods rather than preventable deaths.

He added, “We must enforce our laws against illegal mining and the criminal networks that exploit our people and mineral wealth, but we must equally create pathways for artisanal miners to operate legally, safely and productively.

“The African Minerals Strategy Group will continue to advocate a continental approach that strengthens regulation, improves mine-safety standards, promotes responsible formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining, protects mining communities and ensures that Africa’s mineral wealth translates into decent livelihoods rather than preventable deaths.

“This tragedy must not become another statistic that we mourn today and forget tomorrow. Africa’s mineral revolution must be a revolution that values both the mineral beneath our soil and the human life above it. We owe the victims of Zamboye more than our condolences. We owe them action.”