Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries: Things are moving

2024-03-04 08:59:50

• Doulaye Sanou now SG

• Suspension of export of artisanal and semi-mechanized gold

• SONASP, now the main purchasing counter?

Çhas moved towards the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries. The Council of Ministers of February 14, 2024, chaired by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of the Transition, Head of State, made appointments, including a new Secretary General for the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Careers. An appointment which followed an installation ceremony, this February 22, 2024, within the National Society of Precious Substances, chaired by Yacouba Zabré Gouba, Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries. Thus, Doulaye Sanou, hydrogeological engineer, replaces Jean-Baptiste Kaboré in this position who had been there since March 10, 2023.

“You were appointed to the Council of Ministers on February 14, 2024, so I declare you officially installed in your functions. Congratulations and great success,” said Yacouba Zabré Gouba. These are his words before reminding him of the mission he will have to fulfill during his role.

He is in charge as Secretary General of the ministry. Considering the challenges of the mining sector in Burkina Faso in these times, Doulaye Sanou declares that he is taking up this challenge for the efficiency of his service and is committed to this sector for a better and prosperous Burkina. He did not fail to salute the performances and the work done by his predecessors who worked to ensure that gold became, since 2009, the leading export product, with a significant contribution to GDP. He also hopes to benefit from the advice and support of all his staff. He affirms his commitment to contributing to the improvement of the living conditions of the populations and the security of the country.

Jean-Baptiste Kaboré, outgoing Secretary General, did not fail to express his gratitude to the heads of the department, Ministers Simon-Pierre Boussim and Yacouba Zabre Gouba.

He subsequently wished his predecessor good service and affirmed his full availability to support Doulaye Sanou in his duties. “I am a state employee and at a certain point, we have to work on all fronts, I have thirty years of experience and at this stage, I think I will be useful to support for a more active mining sector. resilient,” he pledged during his speech.

A week after this executive movement, the government suspended artisanal mining exports. The note, signed by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries, explains that the authorization to export gold and other precious substances of artisanal and semi-mechanized production is suspended.

Reason given, the need for sanitation of the country’s mining sector. “This reflects the government’s desire to better organize the marketing of gold and other precious substances,” we can read in the press release.

Steps are taken during this period to buy back gold held by exporters. “During this period of suspension, mining players who have quantities to export are required to contact the National Society of Precious Substances (SONASP), which will be responsible for paying them,” specifies the press release.

How will payments be made and how long will this suspension last? For the moment, we note that SONASP, created in August 2023, replacing the National Agency for the Supervision of Artisanal and Semi-Mechanized Mining (ANEEMAS), becomes the main actor in the management of precious substances produced in Burkina.

In its missions, SONASP is expected to take care of the production, marketing of gold and processing. With this press release which suspends the export of gold produced in an artisanal and semi-mechanized manner, SONASP is now also positioning itself as a purchasing center.

Issaka DIALLA (Internship)

Boxed

The gold marketing circuit

IThere are several players involved in the marketing of gold. There are the gold collectors. These are natural persons holding an authorization issued by the Administration for the purchase of gold on artisanal production sites, in order to resell it to counters. Also, there are private counters which are commercial companies under Burkinabè law, whose exclusive purpose is the purchase and sale of gold and other precious substances of artisanal and semi-mechanized production in Burkina Faso. They source their supplies from gold collectors and semi-mechanized miners. They hold authorization from the Administration for the export or sale of their product in Burkina. From now on, we will have to rely on SONASP.