Africa-Press – Angola. The 400 99 families residing in the perimeter where the strategic mineral Nióbio will be explored, in the municipality of Quilengues, Huíla province, rejected the proposal to relocate in social residences built by the mining company Niobonga, opting for financial compensation.
This is a vitally important project, part of the strategy of economic diversification and job creation, and is expected to cover a perimeter of 160 square kilometres.
Niobium is a rare mineral, used in the production of electric turbines, spacecraft and other components in the aeronautics and electronics industry. Its price on the international market ranges from 40 to 50 dollars per kilogram.
Of the 499 residences planned to be built by Niobonga, in stages, 10 have so far been completed, each with two rooms, a living room, kitchen, pantry, bathroom, paved floor, with guaranteed water and electricity.
Speaking today, Monday, in the district, the municipal administrator of Quilengues, Adriano Alberto Pedro, made it known that the preparation phase for exploration continues and despite this constraint, the means are being concentrated to build the factory, the dam and the assembly of the warehouses.
He highlighted that the construction of residences also continues, although the population has rejected them, preferring monetary values based on the assets that each family has, from vegetable gardens, fields, farms, orchards and houses, for allegedly fearing difficulties in adapting to the new environment.
Accordingly, he explained, that so far 23 families divided into four affected villages have already received two million and 500 thousand kwanzas and at the moment a total of 25 million and 285 thousand have already been distributed, a process that began in late 2022 .
“This is a process that will continue, taking into account some mines that they occupy because the company needs to place factories and other components of the project in the space and at any moment, as soon as the rainy season ends, the population that has already received money will leave the project. venue,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
