AfricaPress-Tanzania: VILLAGERS surrounding North Mara Gold Mine will soon be compensated to pave the way for the implementation of a planned project.
It is more than 10 years since Nyamongo villagers in Mara Region were asked to relocate after valuation in 2012, but finally village governments and the mine have settled the matter.
The update was given by the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Minerals, Prof Simon Msanjila, during his tour of the area accompanied by a team of ministers.
He said that more than 1,600 villagers had been valued and would soon be paid 33bn/-.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Mary Makondo said the valuation process had been successful thanks to collaboration between the Ministry of Minerals and the government.
He said the valuation was repeated in March 2019 in villages surrounding North Mara Gold Mine and was completed in September the same year to avoid complaints from the villagers.
“The villagers will be compensated as stipulated in the law,” he said.
National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Director General Samuel Gwamaka, commented that the mine had put more efforts into conservation of the environment.
“Barrick Gold Mine investors have put much efforts in environmental conservation; a proof of this is a tailings storage facility (TSF), pool that stores toxic mud from contaminating the environment together with all-around areas that reduce environmental contamination in Nyamongo.”
The Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Ms Angeline Mabula, said the Nyamongo community was probably to blame for the delays in compensation.
“Speaking the truth will simplify the valuation process. There are claims that some residents were not honest and so this delayed the valuation exercise.”
“The government always listens, follows up and acts on any promises and this promise is being fulfilled today because the residents together with the regional government and the mine management have cooperated well,” she said, as she commended President John Magufuli for his sterling leadership.
“I urge Tanzanians that whenever there is a provision of land for development projects, they should cooperate so that they may get their rights. We know land is wealth and capital Ms Mabula remarked.”
