At least, twenty-seven mining contracts will be “re-read and audited then renegotiated” to allow Senegal to benefit more from its extractive resources, announced in Tambacounda, Ousmane Sonko, the Prime Minister of Senegal and head of the national list of the Pastef party ( in power) for the early legislative elections of November 17.
“The first act that we took upon our arrival was the renegotiation of the mining contracts and, I can guarantee you one thing, there are twenty-seven mining contracts to reread and audit. We have already established a commission which has started the work,” he declared during a meeting organized at the Tambacounda regional stadium.
In front of activists and supporters from the departments of Tambacounda, Koupemtoum and Goudiry, Ousmane Sonko stressed the need for Senegal to renegotiate mining contracts in order to derive all the benefits from its extractive resources.
“Regarding the extractive industries, we have gold that has been exploited for years but Senegal gains nothing from these contracts because even the tax is exempt,” he lamented.
He did not fail to mention the infrastructure deficit noted in the regions of Tambacounda and Kédougou even though they constitute the main gold-producing areas of the country.
APS
