BY DRAXON MALOYA
Malawi (News of The South) – A group of people calling themselves Friends of Mabilabo (FOM) registered as Mabilabo Development Council (MDC) has vehemently rejected to have authorized anyone to conduct mining activities at Kamlindeni Hills in Lupenga Village under Senior Chief Mabilabo in Mzimba District.
The rejection comes in the wake of risky excavation activities of gemstones and other precious stones being conducted at Kamlindeni Hills in Lupenga Village but without conducting any Environmental Impact Assessment.
The Chairperson for Mabilabo Development Council (MDC), Ken Mthunzi expressed ignorance with mining activities in Kamlindeni Hills and he quickly referred this publication to the Chairperson for Mabilabo Social Support Forum, Keeper Gumbo
In an exclusive telephone interview the Chairperson for Mabilabo Social Support Forum, Keeper Gumbo said the community did not agree with any mining investor on terms that could enable a capital city (Lilongwe) based building lime manufacturer, Daniel Naula to conduct any mining activities in Kamlindeni Hills.
“We have never at any point given mining rights to any local or international mining company to work in our Kamlindeni Hills which preserves a great deal of natural resources, no one has ever at any point in time conducted an Environmental and social Impact Assessment which are very important before mining activities commence,” stressed Gumbo
To his credit Gumbo at some point in 2008 made a presentation at the European Union Sugar Action Plan Summit in the German Parliament which enabled Malawi sugar to be exported freely for the benefit of the country’s economy though that did not please some quarters in authority back home only for him to be provided with cover by the German Human Rights Watch.
But in a rather very short interview with the owner of JN Construction Company, Daniel Naula which is excavating and collecting gemstones which is also leading to the destruction of natural trees in Mlindeni Hills, expressed ignorance about some mining regulations including that of the need to conduct Social and Environmental Impact Assessment before commencement of any mining activities.
“Ours is just a small scale commercial mining licence and I am not aware of some of the Mining regulations you are talking about, otherwise officials from the Ministry did not tell us well in advance about some of the requirements attached to our licence which is still valid,” Naula challenged.
Quizzed about the dangers of huge hips of excavated piled soils left on top of Mlindeni Hills the Mining company owner acknowledged the beed to refill it into trenches dug but simply said he is still waiting for the officials from the Ministry of Mining to advise him on what to do about it.
A visibly confused looking Group Village Headman (GVH) Lupenga and the ADC member, Bam George Jere contradicted each other when asked if they consulted MDC when authorizing Daniel Naula from Lilongwe City to commence conduct mining activities in Kamlindeni Hills.
“Mr Daniel Naula came from Lilongwe with officials from the Ministry of Mining whowho and showed us his documents which comprised of a small scale mining license he obtained from government after paying K2 000, we allowed him to conduct his mining activities and he is meeting some Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR),” said GVH Lupenga.
Parliamentarian for the area, Sam Chirwa says he is very aware of some clandestine mining activities taking place in his constituency mainly at Kamlindeni Hills and he joined those calling for Naula to stop extracting minerals from the area until a proper Environmental impact assessment is conducted.
“I have on several occasions talked to Daniel Naula at the Area Development Committee (ADC) and Village Development Committee (VDC) meetings on the said mining activities and I told him to stop extracting those gemstones until a proper environmental impact assessment is conducted, and also we need to examine the community benefits of the activity,” stressed the parliamentarian.
However, as Corporate Social Responsibilities and on demand from Kamlindeni Area Development Committee (ADC) Naula has supplied to the community 30 bags of cement and 4 steel window frames meant for a village clinic since health services in the area are conducted under a mango tree.
Mining Projects Manager at Church and Society Programme in the Synod of Livingstonia in the Church of Central African Presbyterian Paul Mvula said failure to amend the legal provisions guiding the country’s mining industry is greatly contributing to exploitation of mineral resources.
“It is very sad that mining activities can commence at this age without conducting proper environmental impact assessment, there is a lot that needs to be considered such as community benefits and even the welfare of those to be employed at the Mining firm,” Mvula stressed.
According to the Center for Investigative Journalism in Malawi (CIJM) government of Malawi says it is working on ending all illegal mining activities through formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations as it continue losing K25 million a day with Chinese nationals being the culprits in most mining syndicates.
In his speech a fortnight ago during the State of the Nation Address on government’s economic recovery plan, President Lazarus Chakwera stressed on the need to among others revamp the tourism and mining industries if the country’s fragile economy is to get back on track.
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