LOCAL artisanal miners have begged President John Magufuli to lift the ban on mineral sand export, saying they are hit hard economically by the president’s order.
Instead, they want the ban to remain intact to large mining companies conducting mining activities in the country.
Speaking at a news conference in Dar es
Salaam yesterday, the smallscale miners said their families were
suffering since the president issued an order to ban the exportation of
mineral sand exports.
Led by their Chairman, Mr Rogers
Rweyemamu, the miners claimed that they had suspended operations in
their mining pits, a situation that caused unemployment to the people
who were employed to work in their business.
Earlier this month, Dr Magufuli banned
investors from exporting mineral sands, directing the Energy and Mineral
Minister, Professor Sospeter Muhongo to fully enforce the sanction. The
Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) said on Saturday that it had discovered
262 containers of mineral sand pending exportation against President
Magufuli’s recent ban on the exportation of such.
Yesterday, the small-scale miners came
out with a soft move to lobby the Head of State so that he can lift the
ban, insisting that they incurred huge losses in their business.
Mr Paul Kalyembe said since the
president issued a total ban on mineral sand export, his company was
incurring an average daily loss of 4m/-. He said the artisanal miners
decided to appear before the media because it will be difficult for them
to see the president.
“We really wanted to seek audience with
President Magufuli, but we believe if we initiate the procedures to
present our problems to him, it will take us many years,’’ he said.
Since the president issued the ban, the
Acacia Mining, Tanzania’s biggest gold producer, was quoted in the media
saying that it was incurring an average daily loss of over one million
US dollars (over 2bn/-) in revenue at its two mines in Tanzania due to
the government’s ban on exports of gold and copper concentrate.
Acacia said since the ban was enforced
on March 3, 2017, it has been compelled to take a range of actions to
mitigate the financial impact while ensuring continued safe operations
at Bulyanhulu and Buzwagi mines
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