Cyril Mbah, Abuja
The Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dr. Dele Alake, has expressed profound shock and sorrow over the mine collapse at the informal Al-Zaraa gold mine near Al-Nuhud town in West Kordofan, Sudan.
In a statement issued on Thursday from the Office of the Chairman, who is also the Nigerian Minister of Solid Minerals Development, extended deepest condolences to the families, loved ones and communities of the artisanal miners who lost their lives.
Alake also commiserated with the people and authorities of Sudan over the tragedy, which has left dozens dead and many more missing.
Initial reports indicate that scores of miners were killed after interconnected shafts in loose terrain caved in, with several others still feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The AMSG described the incident as a human catastrophe of immense proportions, underscoring the extreme and perilous conditions faced by millions of informal and artisanal miners across the continent.
The group noted that while artisanal mining remains a vital economic lifeline for communities weathering conflict and economic hardship, it must never come at the cost of human dignity and safety.
Alake lamented the total absence of structural engineering standards, safety gear and regulatory oversight in remote sites, which he said creates an unacceptable culture of risk.
He also expressed concern over severe constraints on rescue operations, where survivors and local responders are forced to rely on rudimentary hand tools due to lack of heavy excavation machinery.
In its call to action, the AMSG urged immediate rescue mobilisation, calling for all available regional and local resources to be pooled to deploy heavy lifting and excavation equipment to the Al-Zaraa site.
The group further called on African governments to prioritize miner safety and accelerate the formalization of artisanal mining, stressing that human life must always supersede resource extraction.
For a better society
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