Burkina-Faso: Awarding of the Guiro mine operating licence to APEC, a decision by the transitional government that reinforces the agency’s mission

At a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday 8 November, the Burkina Faso government decided to withdraw the operating licences for certain mines in the country, in particular the Perkoa, Guiro, Yéou and Kalsaka mines, for reasons of non-operation and poor management.

According to the Minister of Mines, the Guiro mine has been idle since 2018. Added to this is the non-payment of taxes and royalties, as well as fraud by the extractive company in the marketing of gold.

As a result, the government has withdrawn its operating licence, which «will be made available to the Agency for the Promotion of Community Entrepreneurship (APEC) for the relaunch of activities».

This decision is a major boost to APEC’s activities, in line with its mission to promote community entrepreneurship through grassroots mobilisation, and in turn to support the country’s economic development.

From now on, the revenues from the Guiro mine will be paid to APEC and will contribute to the continuation of construction work on the factories that will be set up, including the tomato processing plant recently launched by the President of the transition, Captain Ibrahim Traoré in Bobo Dioulasso.

The award of the operating licence for the Guiro mine to APEC will not only speed up the creation of the planned plants, but will also create jobs for the local population.

Papa Ibrahima