Gold mining area royalty multiplied by 10million

Operators of the gold deposits in the Eastern region of Cameroon, holders of artisanal mining permissions, now pay a little higher with respect to the royalty of area.

According to the sub-prefect of Bertero Oya, the chosen area for the exploitation of gold in the Eastern Region of Cameroon, this fee "rose from 5 million FCFA per square metre per year to 50 million FCFA.”

Multiplied by 10, the fee payable by artisanal miners allows Treasury to have increased revenue. This measure of increase is the result of a consolidation and reorganization of the sector operation initiated by the Ministry of Mines in May 2014.

For this purpose, the issuance of authorizations to artisanal mining was suspended throughout the territory of Cameroon.

"The Minister's decision was after a report he received at the end of a global tour conducted in the Eastern Region. It became clear, during this visit, several wealthy operators of research permits immediately moved to the phase of operation, and that this exploitation was disrespectful of environmental standards", explained Jean Kisito Mvogo, Director of Mines and Geology at the Ministry of Mines.

This suspension was lifted in April 2015, and major readjustments induced. In addition to the upgrading of the fee and certain other taxes, the titling of artisanal mining is now better framed, to the extent where it is now subject to the visa of the central administration of Mines, and also the regional delegation of Mines as in the past.

In addition to a general census of the operators and their licences, the government, with the assistance of the National Institute of Cartography; has a software to avoid approximations in the issuance of mining titles, including the avoidance of duplication of permits issued to operators.