Stakeholders welcome discussions on Manganese mining

Care for Nature Executive Director Nsama Kearns has welcomed the move by the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development to hold an Indaba on manganese mining so as to find a solution to illegal mining of the mineral.

In an interview yesterday, Mrs. Kearns said that the expectation of the indaba on manganese mining is that government should formalize the Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Sector by providing clear operation guidelines and ensuring that all those obtaining licenses and conducting mining undergo some form of training.

Mrs. Kearns added that whether formal or informal people working in the mining area also need education on occupational health and safety to safeguard both their lives and the environment.

She explained that mining is a profession that cannot be conducted without any form of education, a situation necessitating the need for both formal and informal people in the mine industry to undergo the training.

“This is a long awaited move as it will respond to the concerns raised at the Luapula Mining Insaka and the Zambia Alternative Mining Indaba with regards to irregularities concerning mining in Luapula Province,” she said.

Mrs. Kearns observed that the people of Luapula had long cried over the challenges they are facing in the mining sector, whereas other provinces are benefiting from their minerals through well established and coordinated legal mines.

“Luapula still struggles with high levels of poverty because the mineral is stolen in broad daylight, stolen because the so-called miners are not paying taxes nor contributing towards community development through corporate social responsibility,” she said.

Mrs. Kearns stated that Zambia is a member of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) and as such the mining sector is expected to comply with the transparency and accountability principles of the EITI by ensuring that all minerals taken from the province are accounted for.

She hoped that the Indaba that government will hold on manganese mining will address issues of licensing, consent from the traditional leaders, community participation and adherence to environmental management and contribution to the environmental protection fund.

Mrs. Kearns added that zero tolerance to child labour is also one of the areas that government should address at the indaba.

“We are hoping that after this indaba which hopefully will bring together all concerned stakeholders, Luapula will see an emergence of reputable mines that will offer people decent employment and contribute to the national treasury by complying with all the laws surrounding mining,” she said.

Meanwhile, Senior Chief Mwewa of the Ng’umbo people of Chifunabuli District has also welcomed the move by the Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe to hold the indaba but urged him to interact with his Minister of Energy counterpart to ensure Luapula Province is connected to the main electricity layout from Pensulo.

Senior Chief Mwewa said such a move will facilitate the cutting and washing of manganese into a finished product for export unlike the current situation where the commodity is being transported to Serenje District in Central Province for the said processing hence depriving the province economic benefit.