Dozens of artisanal sand miners in Muyuka and Yoke South West Region of Cameroon have been protesting what they claim to be “a takeover of their source of livelihood.”
They say a businessman from Buea called Forji Derrick has been using machines to extract sand from the sand quarries.
“We do not want that, many youths here only survive on digging sand,” said one of the protesters.
Our source told us that nearly 100% of young men in Muyuka and Yoke depend on sand mining to feed their families.
“Sand quarries are our lone employers here. They employ about 95% of the youth in the area. These machines are a huge threat because they could lead to unemployment and hunger,” said another source, adding that with the introduction of a machine, only seven people would be able to work as sand miners.
Several young men and women here turned to sand digging, since the Anglophone Crisis escalated. They told MMI that the government should intervene before the situation escalates.
“Let the whole world see and know this. We are not only tired of the conflict, we will have nowhere to go if this businessman is allowed to continue.”
The protest which started on January 11 continued this morning.
Mimi Mefo Info.
