Africa-Press – Tanzania. Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC) Major Gen Charles Mbuge has assured Tembo Nickel Corporation Limited (TNCL) of a full cooperation and security in the region.
His assurance comes after the government had issued the Company with the Special Mining License (SML), a few weeks ago.
He made the pledge during a meeting with senior officials from Kabanga Nickel and Tembo Nickel Corporation who paid a courtesy visit at his office yesterday to introduce the Nickel mining project.
“On behalf of the government and Kagera residents I warmly welcomed the mining company also assured them of full cooperation and security,” he said.
For quite a long time the residents in Ngara district were eagerly waiting for the occasion.
“I also appeal to people in Kagera region and Kahama district to optimize economic opportunities from this investment such as employments,” he said.
Tembo Nickel Country Manager, Mr Benedict Busunzu, explained that their meeting with the RC was an important part of the formal process thus they can now formally start engaging with the community and begin to get plans and activities off the ground.
“Through Tembo Nickel, the partnership with Kabanga Nickel Limited and the government of Tanzania, the people of Kagera will stand to benefit from the future mining operations. In the next year, the mine’s feasibility study will be updated before full construction begins,” he said.
Elaborating, he said immediate activity on the ground will include a small drilling program for metallurgical data, continuation of community engagement for the resettlement project as well as initial site works.
Mr Busunzu explained that opportunities for employment and services for the project will involve different phases and it was expected that at construction peak in two to three years, close to 1,000 jobs will be creayed with priority to recruit and train local people.
The government expects to collect an estimated 7.5b US dollars (17.2tri/-) through various fees and taxes over the next 33 years from the Kabanga nickel mining project.
Minerals Minister Dotto Biteko had said report showed there were total deposits of 58 million tonnes of nickel.
The life of the mine was expected to be 33 years while the concentrates produced from the mine will be transported to refinery which is to be built in Kahama district.
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