Africa-Press – Botswana. The Ministry of Minerals and Energy is set to host a women in mining pitso in Palapye beginning tomorrow until Friday to advance dialogue on the best ways of strengthening and supporting females across the sector.
Minister Lefoko Moagi made the announcement during a media briefing in Gaborone yesterday explaining that the event would be held under the theme; Empowerment of Women in Mining towards Sustainable Development.
It would be graced by stakeholders in the mining sector, the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs to assess impediments hindering women from thriving in the mining sector, he said.
Mr Moagi disclosed that a review of the Mines and Minerals Act was in the pipeline to ensure removal of impediments to women’s and other vulnerable groups’ participation in the mining sector.
In the digitalisation space, the minister said efforts were ongoing to ensure that women were able to access mining sector-related information quicker and easier through online platforms.
He said the Integrated Geoscience Information System was already live and should be able to aid women to access mining-related material, whether it was with regard to license applications for a small-scale mine or a quarry.
Mr Moagi said the Transitional National Development Plan’s focus on the development of road infrastructure across the country presented an opportunity for women to target opening quarries to support the value chain.
For example, he said since Gumare, Mohembo, Sehithwa and Sepopa roads would need gravel and aggregate, women could form clusters to take advantage of the opportunities presented.
On the human resource side of things, Mr Moagi said women dotted the mining sector as executives and in an array of specialities such as the operator and artisan cadre including as heavy equipment operators.
Stating that generally women were excellent in service delivery across the mining sector, the minister said the Pitso would help reveal their strengths and push for their overall empowerment.
The number of women in the mining sector would be consolidated at the pitso, he said.
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