By Isaac Zulu
Senior Chief Mboroma of the Lala speaking people in Luano district has called for transparency in the issuance of mining licences in his chiefdom.
Senior Chief Mboroma, in an interview with Daily Revelation Newspaper, explained that some people have been engaging in mining activities without his knowledge or the traditional leadership in the area.
He disclosed that his Chiefdom is endowed with mineral resources, but there is need for those in authority to ensure that mining activities in Luano district are regulated so as to benefit the local people in the area.
Senior Chief Mboroma said he cannot dispute the illegal mining activities going on in his chiefdom because there are no stringent monitoring mechanisms to ensure that there is sanity in the way the extraction of mineral resources is conducted.
“Indeed we have quartz, manganese in the chiefdom as well as some gold deposits in certain parts of the chiefdom. But what is surprising us is that there are some people that are sneaking into Luano district and engaging in illegal mining activities, without the knowledge and approval of the traditional leadership. And my appeal is that the government should ensure that there is transparency in the issuance of mining licences in the mining sector, if we are to avert illegal mining activities in chiefdoms,” said Senior Chief Mboroma.
And Chief Representative Kizito Mwitwa called on the government to promote local ownership of artisanal mining in rural communities.
Mwitwa, who was in the company of the traditional leader pointed out that it is only through the promotion of local ownership that the local people will benefit from the mineral wealth in their chiefdom.
“I can confirm that illegal mining activities are taking place in Mboroma Chiefdom. And specifically we can talk about the illegal mining of gold deposits in Ching’ombe area in Luano district. And in order to ensure that the subjects in this chiefdom benefit from the mineral wealth in the chiefdom, there’s need for those in authority to promote local ownership of the artisanal mining sector,” said Mwitwa.
