NORTH Mara gold mine under Acacia Mining, which operates in Mara region’s greenbelt zone, is not obliged to sign agreements with surrounding villages after launching an underground operation, the government has said.
The Deputy Minister for Energy and
Minerals, Dr Medard Kalemani, said underground mining at North Mara mine
started last year at Gokona after Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
was conducted and a permit obtained in April, last year.
In his reply to a basic question from
John Heche (Tarime Rural, Chadema), the Deputy Minister said North Mara
did not have a mining agreement with surrounding villages. He said
section 48(1) (a) of the Mining Act of 2010, provides that a mining
company with special mining licence can change mining methods when
deemed necessary.
He said changes of mining methods
involved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to assess the impacts
thaat may crop up when changes in mining operation are implemented.
The Deputy Minister said the North Mara
mine has agreement with seven surrounding villages on how they would
benefit from mining activities in their area. The villages are Kerende,
Kewanja, Matongo, Ngenkuru, Nyakunguru, Nyamwaga and Nyagoto, he said.
The agreements are not about how the
mining companies are required to implement the mining law during their
operations, he said adding the mining company did not have to ask for a
permit from the villages when they changed the mining method.
The deputy minister said he had formed a
special committee to investigate on complaints against the North Mara
mine by the neighbouring villages
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