Illegal mining worries Minister

Monica Chang’anamuno, Minister of Mining has urged district councils in the country to help in regulating the mining industry and illegal mining activities.

Chang’anamuno said this on Wednesday during a meeting with members of Mangochi District Council and Mangochi Municipal Council.

During the meeting she observed that some foreigners were operating small –scale mining ventures in country without authorization.

“Illegal mining benefits foreigners at the expense of local people who, by virtue of being Malawians, were supposed to be benefitting from the mining industry” said Chang’anamuno.

Chang’anamuno added that they have established that there has been a tendency of people coming outside the country to do mining and some of them do not obtain licences. As a result, so many foreigners are doing small-scale mining by extracting minerals in hospital district. This illegal because it is only local people who are supposed to do small-scale mining.

Smart Gwedemula, Mangochi District Commissioner describe the call as timely. The coming of the minister is timely. In Mangochi , they have had so many concerns regarding mining activities. Indeed, mining activities must be owned by everybody, including those in rural areas, in order for them to benefit from these natural resources.

The minister toured Zomba before visiting Mangochi, where she ordered that illegal mining in Traditional Authority Mbiza should stop after observing the extent of land degradation and social ills associated will illegal mining activities in the area.