Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dr Dele Alake, has expressed grief over the tragic collapse of the Al-Zaraa gold mine in West Kordofan, Sudan, which reportedly killed several artisanal miners, with many others still missing.
In a statement issued following the disaster, Alake extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the people of Sudan during the difficult period.
He also expressed solidarity with families awaiting updates on miners trapped underground and commended the ongoing rescue efforts.
Drawing on his experience overseeing Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, Alake said the tragedy was a painful reminder of the dangers faced by artisanal and small-scale miners across Africa.
As Chairman of the AMSG, Alake called for stronger support for rescue and recovery efforts, as well as enhanced institutional measures to improve safety standards, strengthen training and ensure effective regulatory oversight in the informal mining sector.
“Beyond this immediate crisis, we must do more to make artisanal mining safer,” Alake said, stressing that “no amount of gold is worth a human life.”
He reaffirmed his commitment, both as Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development and through the AMSG, to promoting a safer, more sustainable and responsible mining industry across Africa.
