The Member of Parliament from Moyamba district, Hon Veronica Kadie Sesay, has stated that the theme of ECOWAS’s session states, ‘Illegal mining’, could not have come but at a better time now.
Hon Veronica Sesay said illegal mining had posed significant threat to the economic growth and sustainable development in West Africa.
She said the Western Region of Africa is overwhelmed with a sharp increase in “illicit mining” which is posing a serious challenge to the economic growth, revenue mobilization, environmental management, security and safety of residents.
According to Hon Sesay, it is unfortunate that despite Africa’s huge mining potentials, the continent continues to endure challenges as continent’s elders desperately needed revenue.
The MP observed that rogue miners are conniving with the locals who indulge in illicit extraction of the mineral deposits as they use very crude and dangerous methods of mining, and doing so, she said, they are undermining government policies.
She stated that 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 further states that, deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, flooding, and reduced farming opportunities are only few implications of unregulated mining.
The female MP revealed that they bribe individuals into accepting the acts for the immediate direct benefits it brings to them at the detriment of national growth.
As this session, she said, delves into identifying the scope and actors, and adverse effects of illegal mining, “I have the fervent hope that this House would establish strategies to combat illegal mining. I hope that ECOWAS Parliament would be able to introduce regulatory instruments to enforce regulation and build institutional capacity to curtail illegal mining activities and promote responsible mining practices.”
The MP assured comrades that the SLPP government and parliament is committed to providing support that is needed to facilitate government’s projects in the next few days.