MITIGATING THE ACTIVITIES OF ARTISANAL AND SMALL-SCALE MINERS IN AFRICA: AN OVERVIEW

The concept of appropriate social contract for artisanal and small-scale mining(ASM) emerged amid calls for more humane working conditions for this cadre of miners, whose contribution to the alleviation of poverty especially in the developed nations of the world has been recognized by the United Nations. The sector which is a form of subsistence mining provides a direct or indirect livelihood for over 100 million people in the developing world out of which about 5 million are from Africa. Of particular note is the contribution of this sector to the world supply of strategic minerals such as coltan, diamond, gold etc. The presence of ASM is very often associated with challenges, including poor environmental, health and safety practices, the spread of communicable disease, heightened security risks to neighbouring communities and operations, child and forced labour, inequitable distribution of benefits in communities and an illegal trade in minerals. There is overwhelming consensus that the current worldwide natural resource constraints and the high rising cost of mineral investment and ecosystem pressures require new economic and social contract trajectories which should protect the interests of the artisanal and small-scale miners. These trajectories should address alternatives mining/processing methods and marketing of vital minerals in an environmentally friendly manner as well as improving the economic status of the miners. It is already the mainstream economy of the future, which is desirable to particularly support the rising African and population within the context of sustainable consumption and production patterns. The opportunity exists to make better use of the artisanal mining personnel towards the exploitation of natural resources and use mitigation and adaptation actions as a tool towards a more inclusive development path for the developing countries of Africa. Although concerted effort is being made by some organs of the United Nations, the civil society etc, what is essentially required by National governments Africa, is the adaption of a new Minerals and Mining Acts and institutional reforms/ frameworks and Fiscal Regimes which are in tandem with international best-practices and capable of adding socio-economic values to ASM activities