As the three-day conference and exhibition of Gemstones and Jewelries came to a close on Saturday, September 28,, 2024, with a relaxing dinner, participants departed with a determination to enhance much needed critical interventions to reposition Africa’s mineral wealth as a long-term solution to the prevailing economic and social problems bedeviling the continent.
Organised by Women in Mining in Nigeria (WIMIN), in partnership with African Mining Development Center, an organ of the African Union, the programme which garnered the support of leading players in the sector, was well attended by participants from 54 African countries.
Starting with empowering skills imparting workshops on design and jewelry making, the program smoothly transitioned into panel sessions and keynote addresses, as speakers after speakers advocated for the following paradigm shift from the current status quo. These include:
Promotion of cross-border trades through the enforcement of the existent African Intercontinental Commerce and Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) and the introduction of more policies and regulatory frameworks that would smoothen movement across the continent seamless, especially for business men and women with valid documents and legitimate businesses.
The appeal arose against the backdrop of reports of unpleasant treatment some of the region’s business-men and women are subjected before the issuance of their visas at entry points of another African countries, despite the legitimacy and economic benefits of their trades.
Dr. Joel Popoola, Chairman of the African Group for Institute of Directors, United Kingdom Chapter, who doubles as an Ambassador for North East England and Mr Mkhululi Nkosamanola Ncube, the Programme Manager for African Minerals Development Center (AMDC) led the call.
Ncube bemoaned the frustrations that legitimate travellers are subjected when embarking on cross-border movements on the continent, despite the possession of valid documents and legitimate reasons for travel.
“The experience of participants at this conference and Exhibition is a pointer to this issue,” he said. “Africans need to open up their arms to welcome their own brothers and sisters on trade. I am not saying a total relaxation of immigration policy, no. But we must make things easy for travellers with valid documents and legitimate business or reasons to travel.
“By doing this, we are promoting and enforcing the AfCTCA. And this would have a positive rob-off on the mineral sector on the continent,” he added.
The second major intervention that was made at the Conference sessions was the need for “Standardization of protocols and regional integration.” This is to be achieved through the consolidation of the existing efforts and establishment of new synergy between African Miners, particularly Women in Mining and traders in Gemstones and Jewelries.
The proposed synergy, if it emerges, would serve as platform to negotiate critical developmental issues that bother on exploration, pricing, quality, trade rules, and level playing field – especially for women in the business.
As part of efforts to drive this, the AMDC, an initiative of the Africa Union, is currently working on a policy framework that would later be adopted across Africa.
With this, Africa would be able to speak in unison during engagements with foreign trade partners on issues relating to utilization of mineral resource, trade imbalances, and possible reparation of mineral wealth that have been unfairly carted away by the west. This should help with efforts to close the yawning gap between the continents huge mineral wealth and the suffocating poverty of its people.
Popoola particularly emphasised the importance for stakeholders in the sector to come together so as to build a formidable voice.
“There is no way out of our current developmental challenges unless we come together and forge a stronger bond of unity and collaboration,” he said.
Popoola also demanded for substantial investment in human capital development and utilisation in the sector, insisting that without the acquisition of A-grade skills that are needed on the sector, exploiting the mineral wealth for local benefit would continue to be elusive.
“Most of the continent’s mineral wealths are dominated by the foreigners. Part of the reasons is colonisation, coercion, and lack of competitive skills and instruments on the side of the African Miners. We should hence invest in human capital development to consolidate the new regional integration we are building,” he said. .
Dr (Engr.) Janet Adeyemi, the President of WIMIN, faulted actions of a majority of African Governments for aiding and abetting the systematic takeover of the continent’s mining sector by foreign interests, describing the situation as counterproductive to the region’s developmental aspirations.
“Let us tell ourselves the truth. We kept saying the sector is being hijacked by the Chinese and others. But few weeks ago, while the Chinese Ambassador was responding to this question, he asked us who are those issuing the licence of operations to his country men? Is it not the same Government that claims to be committed to developing the sector and promoting local content?
“To really push the continent on the global pedestal of growth, the current trajectory must change. We can’t continue like this. Our actions are best described as double standards. And that is not consistent with growth,” she said.
The third and final intervention was focused on ethical mining, the establishment of Gemological and Lapidary Centers across Africa, and the development of special funding programmes for Artisanal and Medium and Small Scale Miners on the continent.
The continent is currently afflicted with unhealthy approaches to extracting precious stones buried beneath the soil, including blasting, unstructured excavations and the deployment of chemical substances that ultimately constitute health hazards and environmental despoliation.
Dr Emily Offodile, who spoke on the topic: “Community driven ethics and local voices in Africa’s Mineral Supply Chain,: Amplifying Community Perspective for Responsible Mineral Sourcing,’ said it was time to unite in spotlighting issues of community rights and compensations where necessary.
She said this has become imperative because the continent’s mining activities is dominated by Artisanal and Medium and Small Scale Miners, who mostly engage in “the end justifies the means” approach.
“It is sad that ASM has over 1milliom personnel currently in work across mining sector in Nigeria, representing 80% of the entire workforce in the secotr. Meanwhile, some of these ASMs are nomadic in nature or indigenous, as the case may be. Hence, incorporating norms and values that are consistent with local culture and their economic needs would go a long way.
“We have to consider ASM licencing as part of the equation. We have to then insist on responsible and ethical mining for all by ensuring there are fair rules that are uniformly enforced, irrespective of whoever is involved,” she said.
Interestingly, gold mining firm, Segilola made a presentation on its ethical approach to mining, which might serve as template for operators of smaller outfits.
On developing special and accessible funding for ASMs, Judith Karangi, Executive Director of Net Vision, who was representative of Women in Mining in Tanzania, called on traditional financial institutions to take advantage of the unstructured nature of the sector and support the ASMs.
“I encourage a lot of financial institutions to support the ASMs. This is because of the values inherent in mineral explorations across the world. Many of the ASMs are not able to currently access funding from traditional financial institutions not because their enterprise is not valuable but because of the standards these banks have set.
“The financial institutions need to be honest and embrace the ASM, particularly the native miners. They should support their work and structure better repayment plans. After all, some miners who sought these fundings at Medium Scale level, are successfully supported, therefore, the support should be uniform and non-discriminatory,” she added.
Tobias Musonda, Director of Planning and Information for Zambian Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, explained how this could be done. Musonda said his country was already meeting this important need of funding for the ASMs in his country.
He said through a rigorous and painstaking process of data filtering and validation processes, a sizeable number of Artisanal and Medium and Small Scale Miners have now been captured under the government’s special funding initiative for the sector.
He invited other African countries to approach Zambia for necessary supports in replicating similar model, for the sake of the growth of the sector.
“The truth remains that the government needs the ASMs more. If left uncoordinated and unsupported, the ASMs would continue their activities, endangering the environment, constituting serious existential threats to themselves and health hazards for the communities, challenges that would be too complex to resolve got government. This is why the Republic of Zambia, Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Department of Planning and Information is proud of this that we have done, which is highly recommended for other African countries to emulate,” he told this reporter.
