As Cameroon approaches the October 2025 presidential election, Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala has raised serious concerns over the injustice and corruption plaguing the country’s mining industry, particularly in the eastern region known for its rich gold deposits.
Despite over 80 years of gold mining, the Archbishop warns that the wealth generated has brought poverty and misery rather than prosperity to local populations. He describes how the sector has been captured by unscrupulous officials who operate networks of facilitators and exploiters, sidelining the communities who own the land.
The Archbishop highlights the illegal occupation of vast mining areas by individuals without regard for the law, as government permits are granted and then sold to foreign interests under the guise of technical partnerships. Meanwhile, the rightful owners being the local populations are dispossessed and see little benefit.
He denounces the complicity of some high-ranking officials who tolerate widespread fraud, corruption, and unfair wage practices. This situation fuels resentment and social tension, which could escalate into conflict without equitable sharing of the country’s mineral wealth.
Archbishop Samuel Kleda stresses that the common good requires a fairer distribution of mining benefits to restore harmony and trust among Cameroonians.
This critique is part of Archbishop Kleda’s extensive pastoral letter addressing systemic social and economic grievances in Cameroon. His call for justice in mining echoes broader demands for transparency and equity in resource management, essential for national peace and development.
By Hilltopvoices Newsroom
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77