* Mineral exploration is a very serious and sensitive issue that needs to be handled with care
* As long as I am the Minister of Mining, I will not accept foreigners siphoning our minerals and no more of illegal mining in Malawi
By Solister Mogha, MANA
Minister of Mining, Monica Chang’anamuno has ordered the immediate ban of alluvial gold mining activities at Traditional Authority (T/A) M’biza in Zomba District following reports of various abuses at the mining site as most of those involved do not have proper documents and were foreigners.
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Speaking Tuesday after a consultative meeting with officials from Zomba and Chiradzulu District Councils and community members from TA M’biza, the Minister said they received a number of reports about child labour, sexual abuse, labour exploitation among other social ills.
She said most of the people engaging in the mining were illegal miners and foreigners without license, adding that this was against the laws of Malawi
“After visiting the site and seriously considering all issues, I order immediate closure of mining activities in Zomba and anyone found doing any mining activity henceforth, will face the wrath of the law,” Chanag’anamuno said.
She added that it was about time to seriously regulate Malawi’s mining industry so that the country benefits from its mineral deposits: “Mineral exploration is a very serious and sensitive issue that needs to be handled with care.
“As long as I am the Minister of Mining, I will not accept foreigners siphoning our minerals and no more of illegal mining in Malawi.”
Chanag’anamuno has since asked chiefs to be vigilant and patriotic to stop accommodating or shielding foreigners who engage in illegal mining.
Sub Traditional Authority Idana, whose area has been heavily damaged, hailed the Minister for ordering closure of gold mine, attesting that a lot of immoral activities were happening at the site and that most of people’s land was being damaged due to the mining.
“We support the decision and we will make sure that no one is found mining gold until proper procedures have been followed,” she said, while encouraging her subjects to form cooperatives as proposed by the government and speed up mining registration process.
According to Mining Act, only registered miners are allowed to do mining activities within a specified place.
At a press briefing in Lilongwe last week to announce the Mining Investment Forum which is scheduled to take place in the country on April 23-24, Minister Chang’anamuno emphasised that the Government is committed to the growth of the mining industry which has the capacity of contributing 20% to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Thus she stressed that the Mining Investment Forum — under the theme; ‘Transforming the nation through sustainable mineral extraction’ — will be crucial in accelerating the growth of the industry.
“The mineral resources that the country has is instrumental in industrialisation as enshrined in the MW2063 national vision,” she said. “The mining sector is a significant source of government revenue through taxes and fees which are essential in funding developmental initiatives across other sectors.”
Chang’anamuno also said the forum will serve as a platform for stakeholders to engage within the industry, and that this will also promote Agriculture, Mining & Tourism (ATM) strategy that President Lazarus Chakwera implemented some weeks ago in Mzuzu.
She also applauded Members of Parliament for passing the 2024/25 National Budget, saying it will help in the operationalisation of Mining Regulatory Authority and Mining Company in the country.—Reporting from Lilongwe by Levison Lester, MANA
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