NGO embarks on environmental justice programme in Sinazongwe

The Centre for Environment Justice has embarked on a programme that will enhance relationships between Nkaandabwe Collumn Coal Mine and surrounding communities with a focus on monitoring delivery of investment agreements and corporate accountability.

Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) Executive Director Bornface Mumba said during a stakeholders sensitization meeting held at Kaluli Development Foundation (KDF) yesterday that his organization has designed a project called mining community voices as a platform through which the mine company and community will be able to build better understanding between each other.

He said this will be achieved through a Corporate Social and Environment Responsibility (CSER) community System.

Mr Mumba said the project will run for one year and the outcome will determine the possibility of scaling up to cover other communities.

He said the mining community voices project will embrace the multi-stakeholder engagement approach by working with government, Collumn Coal Mine, the community, Civil Society Organizations, faith based organizations and traditional leaders through consultation and training.

Mr Mumba said the project will be implemented within the organizations’ core mandate of promoting sustainable livelihoods through community voices, strategies and other workable approaches.

And CEJ Projects Technical Advisor Rodney Katongo said during his presentations at the same meeting that the project will be able to give a voice to the community around the mine over their priority needs under the company’s corporate social and environment responsibility (CSER).

Meanwhile Sinazongwe District Commissioner Protacial Mulenga has welcomed the project and called for smooth engagement of the community and stakeholders during the implementation process.

Mr.Mulenga said that he was happy that the project will enable communities around the mine to have a voice in the programs and projects the company will be delivering under its Corporate Social and Environment Responsibility.

He said that Government was there to provide an enabling environment for investors to implement their investment plans without interference by just providing guidance in order to ensure that communities around such investments also benefit through corporate social and environment responsibility.