As part of the Open Days initiated by the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, a delegation led by the Prefect of the Kaffrine Department, Aïssatou Ndiaye Diallo Bodian, and guided by the Head of the Regional Mines Service for the Kaffrine region, conducted a field visit this Thursday. The activity focused on two quarry sites located in the department. The first site visited is in Toune Diouma, in the commune of Kahi. According to the prefect, it is "an irregular quarry." The second site is regular and is located in Mbéné, in the commune of Kathiotte. "This visit is part of the Open Days, an initiative of the Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines which aims, among other objectives, to raise awareness and inform the public about the mining sector in general," explained Ms. Bodian.

Two key activities are planned in the Kaffrine department. "The first activity, which we conducted today, is a visit to quarry sites. The second activity is planned for tomorrow and will consist of an expanded meeting to exchange and share information with stakeholders on mining legislation, particularly on the provisions of the 2016 Mining Code," the prefect explained. Regarding the first day, the administrative authority said it was "very satisfied with the activities that were conducted and which allowed us to inquire about the situation of the two quarries." It reiterated that the objective of the Ministry of Mines is "to support the local authorities in which the quarry sites are located to regularize their situation."

The Kaffrine department, "extremely rich in mineral resources," must be able to better manage its operations. "Beyond regularization, it is also a matter of thinking together about the reuse of sites that are no longer exploitable," insisted Ms. Bodian. In this sense, the idea of "establishing a fish farming station as part of the activities of the National Aquaculture Agency" was proposed and will be the subject of a study. The visit mobilized several technical departments: environment, urban planning, hydraulics, in addition to the local authorities directly concerned.

On the security front, the prefect recalled that an order had been issued by the sub-prefect of the Gniby district to prohibit access to the Toune Diouma quarry, due to its depth, which was deemed dangerous. "It was noted that the site was frequented, including by children, with risks of accidents linked to the depth, which reaches tens of meters. It was our duty, as an administrative authority, to anticipate public safety risks," she declared.

In conclusion, Ms. Bodian emphasized that the regularization of quarries will make it possible "to delimit the perimeters, to ensure constant and continuous surveillance, and above all to guarantee public safety."