Geita — MINISTER for Minerals, Dr Dotto Biteko has warned artisanal and small scale miners in Geita Region not to misuse the freedom of running their activities given by the government.
Instead, Minister Biteko said, they (miners) are required to observe the country laws and allow other investors to smoothly conduct their business.
Dr Biteko issued the warning on Tuesday, after his official visit at the Isonda Mine located at Isonda village in Nyang'hwale District of Geita Region.
His visit at the mine was specifically meant to calm tension and conflicts reported to arise between artisanal miners and the mining investor from China - Henan Mining Company.
Dr Biteko noted that mining regulations direct the mining license holder to be respected, therefore the small scale miners should consider that and stop thinking that they have more rights than others.
Minister Biteko insisted that Henan Mining Company is the legal owner of the licence of the eight square kilometers of the Isonda location.
"Now, if that is the case, the licence holder has the right and responsibility to protect his licence, and we have the responsibility not to invade or trespass someone else's licence and property," he said.
He directed that the investor should be protected and allowed to continue conducting mining activities in the area.
However, in settling the matter, Minister Biteko said since the small scale miners are already operating in the area, then they will be permitted to progress with their activities in the legal or regulatory framework.
Dr Biteko ordered the mining officers in the region to work on procedures that will enable small scale miners to continue with their activities on 20 hectares of the area and the remaining area to be reserved for the investor.
The Isonda Mine Secretary, Mr Solomon Mabati said since December 2021 to date, the mining activities in the area have provided royalties amounting to 763m/-, of which the Central Government received 178m/-, the village 79m/- and the council royalties stood at 486m/-.
The Acting Nyang'hwale District Commissioner, Mr Fabian Sospeter admitted that the contribution of the mining sector is huge, as for the year 2021/22 the council collected a total revenues of 1.5bn/-, of which,1bn/- was collected from the mining sector.
