Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged federal and state governments to enforce strict monitoring and regulatory measures against illegal mining activities to prevent further avoidable tragedies across the country.

In a statement released over the weekend, CAPPA urged the Federal Government to reform mining policy to make licensing processes accessible and affordable for local communities and small-scale miners.

This development comes in response to the recent collapse of an illegal mining pit located within a national game reserve spanning Gashaka Local Government Area in Taraba State and Toungo Local Government Area in Adamawa State.

The accident, which took place on Wednesday, November 6, has left about thirty (30) gold miners presumed dead in the Buffa zone of the Gashaka-Gumti National Park.

CAPPA expressed deep concern over the incidences of illegal mine camps and even mine collapses across the country, stating that these challenges now cast doubt on the operational effectiveness of the Mines Surveillance Task Team as well as other monitoring outfits designed to regulate such occurrences.