President Samia launches East Africa’s mega bridge

Some artisanal miners pose in a group photo with government and North Mara Gold Mine officials after the opening of a special training programme at Nyamongo on Friday to equip them with necessary skills on the mining industry.

By Lake Zone Watch writer

Government has launched a two-week capacity-building training for 48 groups of artisanal miners, an initiative supported by North Mara Gold Mine to empower youth in nearby villages.

Musoma District Commissioner Juma Chikoka opened the training on Friday last week at Ingwe Secondary School in Nyamongo town on behalf of Mara Regional Commissioner Col. Evans Mtambi.

Early in May, Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, handed over 96 mining licenses to the beneficiary groups to engage them in free mining as part of governments policy to promote the participation of Tanzanians in the mining sector.

Chikoka urged the participants to fully utilise the opportunity for their own good as a guideline towards success in mining activities.

Through you, we expect to see the emergence of billionaires in Nyamongo. The government will be with you; when youre in problems just knock our doors and we shall be ready to listen to you, Chikoka said.

The District Commissioner also counselled the participants to avoid conflicts within their groups or any other form of discouragement in their journey of success.

He thanked Barrick for working in hand with the government to support the initiative of youth empowerment.

Speaking at the same occasion, North Mara Gold Mine Community Relations Manager, Francis Uhadi, on behalf of General Manager Apolinary lyambiko, thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her resolve to revitalise the mining industry.

He said stakeholders in the mining industry must draw lessons from President Samias efforts to ensure that the sector generates the much-needed foreign exchange for economic growth. 

He said the mine will continue to ensure that mining activities benefits locals in nearby villages.

On his part, Dr Elisante Mshiu, the training facilitator, said Tanzania is the first country in the world to formalise the participation of small-scale miners in the industry.

According to Dr Mshiu, the training will dwell on education on mining and mineral processing, the money behaviour, health and environmental conservation, cooperation between the groups and the various laws and guidelines on mining.