(Business in Cameroon) - Last September, Ernest Ngwaboubou, Cameroon’s minister of mines, industry and technological development decided to suspend the activities of the mining firm Metalicon for 6 months.

Official sources revealed that the mining company did not respect its contractual terms. For instance, it did not close the pits it dug during its exploration activities at Kambélé in East Cameroon. This negligence might have led to the death by drowning of a young miner, on September 3.  This is not the first incident that occurred in this mining community. In June 2016, four people, including a baby and its mother, drowned in artisanal mines left uncovered after mining operations.

Apart from not rehabilitating their artisanal mines, the operators are also known for hiding the real volumes of ore they extract, to reduce the dividends paid to the State as ad valorem tax, many official reports revealed.

BRM