From 21 to 22 July 2023, the town of Gaoua hosted the second Artisanal Miners’ Day (Journée de l’Artisan minier – JAM). The theme of the event was “Artisanal mining: what mechanisms are needed to formalise operators in order to improve the socio-economic benefits of the sector?” At the end of the day’s proceedings, the organising committee singled out the players who had distinguished themselves in the use of best practices. This was done at the Artisan miner’s night, the closing evening of the meeting.
Among the winners was the online newspaper Mines Actu Burkina. It won the special prize in the “media production on the mining sector” category. The media left with a trophy, a certificate and personal protective equipment as prizes.
Elie Kaboré, Publishing Director of Mines Actu Burkina, said: “We would like to thank the JAM 2023 organising committee for this award. The newspaper is receiving this award as it celebrates its first year of existence. It’s proof that in just one year, our work has been noticed by those involved in the mining sector. This award is an encouragement to do better. We are going to diversify our subjects to cover all segments of the extractive sector in Burkina Faso”.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Mines for this award. “We are very pleased and we would like to thank the Ministry of Mines, which is making the effort to reward not only the players in the field, but also those who relay information about the artisanal mining sub-sector,” he said.
The prize was presented by Marcus Kouaman, representing the Director of Publication of Mines Actu Burkina.
For him, this distinction is a reward for the work that has been carried out over more than a year and for the interest that the media has in the mining sector in general and specifically in the artisanal mining sub-sector, which plays an important role in the country’s socio-economic contribution.
He urged artisanal miners to formalise their operations so that they can work legally, as studies show that terrorism is partly financed by artisanal gold mining. “Which is very dangerous. It is therefore very good and very useful to organise the sector and allow those who really want to work so that the country can move forward, to do their job properly”, he added.
For Mr Kouaman, this award is an invitation to the media to stay the course and continue to promote Burkina Faso’s mining sector. “It really means staying on the same course, i.e. getting in touch with the players who are living the realities, relaying good information, publicising good practices and denouncing the obstacles to the development of the mining sector. We never stop doing our job in accordance with the ethics and deontology of our profession. That’s how journalists play their role in society. And I think that Mines Actu will continue in this direction so that it does not fail in its mission and always deserves the prize it has received,” he said. Mines Actu Burkina is an online media under Burkina law, specialising in information on mining and quarrying. It was created in July 2022. Elie Kaboré, a journalist specialising in information on the mining sector, is its Publishing Director.
Latribunedufaso.net et Mines Actu Burkina
