(Business in Cameroon) - In Cameroon, only about 10% of the total production of artisanal gold miners enters the formal sector, the European Union observed. This share contributes only 0.26% to State budget, or less than XAF1.75 billion.

In need to help Cameroon increase the share of artisanal gold revenues in its economy, the EU launched May 28 in Yaoundé the second phase of the “Mining, Environment, Health and Society Project” -ProMess- that is expected to enhance mining governance in Cameroon through collective follow-up of mining activity and promotion of governance transparency.

In concrete terms, the project will improve populations’ skills in the sector and better inform them of regulations; combat fraud and corruption in the mining sector. It will also help artisanal miners (women and youth included) in the process of formalizing their activity and adopting good practices.

ProMess II is scheduled to last 4 years; it has benefited from XAF520 million from the EU and XAF50 million from NGOs Foder and Transparency International Cameroon which are entrusted with its implementation. The project covers the districts of Bétaré Oya, Garoua-Boulaï, Ngoura, Batouri, Ketté, Ouli, Kentsou, Yokadouma, Gari-Gombo, in the East region and the districts of Meiganga in Adamaoua.

During the project’s first phase, which covers the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2018, these same regions received about XAF260 million. Phase I raised awareness of more than 25,000 members of the mining communities on the dangers of mining, mine site rehabilitation, and child labor in mining operations.

S.A