Exploration. Local artisanal miners extract gold from a mining site in
Katenga Engaju Sub-county, Buhweju District, in August 2017. Photo by
Felix Ainebyoona
Kampala. Government is working on a new policy that will see Uganda maximise gains from its natural resources.
The policy, approved by Cabinet last month, seeks to achieve efficiency and ensure equitable and transparent management of mineral revenues. It will require mining companies to give shares to government once a lease is granted.
Uganda’s Mining and Minerals Policy 2018 also makes mandatory value addition. It seeks to help the country achieve maximum economic gains from its natural resources.
The policy is a major shift for the sector where investors owned 100 per cent stakes in mining leases and had the option of exporting raw ore.
The change of law has been necessitated by continuous land conflicts in mining areas, an increase in corruption in the issuance of licences, a sector crowded by speculators who lock up investments, the need to stop environmental degradation and deprivation of benefits arising from mineral exploitation to host communities.
“The revised laws will help us revive the mining sector,” said permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy Robert Kasande.
Uganda’s policy change comes at a time when the country’s mineral sector is beginning to attract exploration and mining giants such as Australia’s Rio Tinto, which last year signed a $57m farm-in deal with another Australian firm Sipa Resources.
The policy, approved by Cabinet last month, seeks to achieve efficiency and ensure equitable and transparent management of mineral revenues. It will require mining companies to give shares to government once a lease is granted.
Uganda’s Mining and Minerals Policy 2018 also makes mandatory value addition. It seeks to help the country achieve maximum economic gains from its natural resources.
The policy is a major shift for the sector where investors owned 100 per cent stakes in mining leases and had the option of exporting raw ore.
The change of law has been necessitated by continuous land conflicts in mining areas, an increase in corruption in the issuance of licences, a sector crowded by speculators who lock up investments, the need to stop environmental degradation and deprivation of benefits arising from mineral exploitation to host communities.
“The revised laws will help us revive the mining sector,” said permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy Robert Kasande.
Uganda’s policy change comes at a time when the country’s mineral sector is beginning to attract exploration and mining giants such as Australia’s Rio Tinto, which last year signed a $57m farm-in deal with another Australian firm Sipa Resources.
Mining giants
Sipa Resources, which started operations in Uganda in 2012, made discoveries two years later of rare earth minerals in Kitgum District. Rare earth minerals contain elements used in making parts for digital and electronic items.
The policy requires investors to have sufficient capital to explore, exploit and add value, in line with their licences. This means that once implemented, the new policy will automatically kick out speculators.
The chairman of the Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Elly Karuhanga said there are “over 800 mineral licences out there” with speculators holding most of them, a scenario that leads to locking up investments as speculators trade the licences at exorbitant prices.
Sipa Resources, which started operations in Uganda in 2012, made discoveries two years later of rare earth minerals in Kitgum District. Rare earth minerals contain elements used in making parts for digital and electronic items.
The policy requires investors to have sufficient capital to explore, exploit and add value, in line with their licences. This means that once implemented, the new policy will automatically kick out speculators.
The chairman of the Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Elly Karuhanga said there are “over 800 mineral licences out there” with speculators holding most of them, a scenario that leads to locking up investments as speculators trade the licences at exorbitant prices.
that scares away genuine investors.
“Those licences should be withdrawn immediately so that people who are competent take them up,” said Mr Karuhanga.
“The
policy will guarantee security of tenure by granting licences for
specified periods that are subject to a ‘use it or lose it principle’,
through enforcement of mandatory relinquishment, fines and penalties to
minimise speculation and hoarding practices,” reads the policy.
Mr
Kasande said that while implementing the new mining policy and law, the
country will replicate the practice in the oil and gas sector, in which
companies are required to present their local content plans before they
are issued with a licence.
The local content aspect, he said, must have a representation of women and other disadvantaged groups.
For
sustainability, the new mining policy will introduce competitive
bidding rounds to flush out incompetent companies and speculators — a
departure from the current practice of first-come-first-serve regardless
of capabilities.
“We think that will transform the
mining sector. We are concluding agreements to get money to do aerial
magnetic surveys in Karamoja beginning next financial year. That will
give us a better assessment as far as minerals are concerned,” said Mr
Kasande.
Uganda’s minerals are spread across the
country and include, gold, tin, tantalite, tungsten, iron ore, copper,
gemstones, cobalt, sand, all combined contributing just 0.6 per cent to
GDP, according to UCMP.
This is because the country exports unprocessed minerals, with some sold as non-Ugandan products due to lack of certification.
editorial@ug.nationamedia.com
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