Mines ministry clarifies: Australian firm has no mineral exploration licence in Cameroon!.

The position of the ministry is contained in a release signed by the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry. It is dated July 15, 2024.

 The clarification from the ministry, comes in the wake of clearly sponsored media reports, which experts have described as callous, false, defamatory and utterly misleading, with intention to slowdown and rubbish ongoing reforms in the mining sector in the country.

The said newspaper sponsored report had claimed Australian firm, Peak Minerals, has been granted 24 permits, to explore 11, 200 kilomtres in the East and Adamawa Region.

Smarting from the said damaging newspaper report, the interim mines boss, Prof Fuh Calistus, in the statement, has clarified that Cameroon has granted in total, only 105 exploration licenses, with Peak Minerals not having even a single exploration license. 

The release from the ministry of mines, a copy of which The Guardian Post has seen, states that “…to date, there are one hundred and five (105) exploration licenses, and the aforementioned company does not hold any license in Cameroon”.

 The ministry of mines further revealed that “Peak Minerals has never applied for any license in Cameroon,” asserting that the information “can be verified on our website www.minmidt.cm”. 

To further clear any doubts, the ministry further puts the records straight on the use of such authorisations.  It indicated that “research permit authorisations are used to improve the knowledge of Cameroon's subsoil and are in no way used for mining purposes”.

It further explained that exploration licenses “are used to secure urban areas against small-scale and semi-mechanised mining, in accordance with the provisions of the Mining Code of December 19, 2023”. 

Besides the stringent measures authorities of the ministry of mines have been taking to protect Cameroon’s interest as President Paul Biya pushes to boost the mining sector, the statement comes back to highlight precautionary measures.

“Precautionary measures have been taken when drawing up specifications,” the statement specified, detailing that companies holding such permits that “engage in semi-mechanised artisanal mining will have their licenses immediately withdrawn”.

Facts that speak

The reaction of the mines ministry, which has been saluted as timely, now raises the place of facts on bogus accusations. Many say it is evident that anyone who doubts the veracity should feel free to consult the ministry’s website or official government records, to see things for themselves.

Sponsored media reports much ado about nothing

Since the mean press reports started surfacing days back, with more others coming out yesterday, observes have been unanimous that enemies of the Head of State’s mining renaissance vision are already at work.

For one thing, those who understand the contours of such attacks say it is not new in the Cameroonian context. They say it is common knowledge that once a member of government is delivering on the directives of the Head of State, and working to improve the lives of citizenry, selfish and greedy interest groups always surface with malicious narratives to slowdown work.

 There are those who hold strongly to the opinion that the recent media reports against the interim minister of mines, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry, is being sponsored by some interest groups and those with vaulting ambition to become the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development.

Since 2023, when he was given the interim charge of the ministry, major mineral exploration and gigantic projects that had been idling, have witnessed huge advancements. 

In recent months, renowned investors in the global mining industry have been rushing to Cameroon to take advantage of the new opportunities President Paul Biya has unveiled in the sector.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3170 of Tuesday July 16, 2024