In a bid to better regulate the artisanal mining sector in Burkina Faso, the Burkinabe government went through many stages between 1986 and 2015, when the National Agency for the Supervision of Artisanal and Semi-Mechanised Mining (l’Agence Nationale d’Encadrement des Exploitations Minières Artisanales et Semi-mécanisées – ANEEMAS) was created. From its creation until 2023, the agency has fought for the betterment of artisanal and small-scale mining in Burkina Faso. Its actions have also included the formalisation of the mining craft industry, which is not without its difficulties.
Mining has long been practised informally, and the government of Burkina Faso, through the National Agency for the Supervision of Artisanal and Semi-Mechanised Mining (ANEEMAS), is doing its utmost to regularise the practice by supervising the artisanal sector. Since its creation, the agency has been working to regulate and formalise the practice of the trade. According to Viviane Yamèogo, a speaker at the Artisanal Miners’ Day (Journée de l’Artisan Minier – JAM) held in Gaoua on 21 and 22 July 2023, formalising the artisanal and small-scale mining sector (EMAPE) involves two aspects: formalising the players, which involves identifying and grouping artisanal miners into cooperatives, and formalising the sites by issuing a title or authorisation or signing a management agreement, in particular the Site Management Agreement.
In terms of site organisation, AENEMAS has worked to improve hygiene conditions at certain sites, in particular by providing mobile latrines at 2 sites in the communes of Midebdo and Kampti, supplying carts to the communes of Kampti and Midebdo, waste bins to 02 communes of Midebdo and Kampti, and building 02 boreholes at Kankouera and Fofora. In addition to these contributions, it is also working to bring together artisanal miners in cooperatives and to train them in a range of subjects relating to the sector. It has been able to train and raise the awareness of more than 27,203 artisanal miners on topics relating to regulations, environmental protection, the fight against child labour and safety at artisanal mining sites; good technical practice in excavation, extraction, support and processing; and the adoption of environmentally-friendly standards.
In terms of difficulties in this process initiated by AEEMAS, the lack of consideration for artisanal mining in the current mining code; the lack of full powers granted to ANEEMAS to supervise all artisanal sites by virtue of the prior agreement of the holders of exploration permits; the predominance of the informal sector; the low level of education of the majority of artisanal miners; insufficient resources allocated to supervision; growing insecurity on the sites; growing fraud; money laundering and the absence of a gold refinery to strengthen the marketing circuit.
As a reminder, when it was set up, it had to work to minimise the negative impact of artisanal mining on the environment; ensure greater safety for mining activities on the sites; reduce fraud in the marketing of artisanally produced gold and eradicate child labour on artisanal mining sites.
Tiba Kassamse OUEDRAOGO
Mines Actu Burkina
