Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Zomba have advised people of Senior Chief Chikowi to go away with illegal mining and apply for licenses to avoid conflicting with laws.
Zomba CSO Chairperson, Nicholas Mwisama, made the call at Group Village Headman Phulanya’s area, Senior Chief Chikowi in the district where the CSOs and Police in Zomba, a Mining ministry official, District Labour Officer, and Social Welfare Office held an awareness campaign on illegal gold mining and it’s implications on the national economy.
The awareness campaign was done after reports of illegal gold mining along the Thondwe River.
Mwisama further advised the people to form cooperatives and apply for mining licenses to avoid in conflict with the law.
Mwisama said the awareness of illegal gold mining came after Minister of Mining, Monica Chaang’anamuno, asked the CSO to have engagement meetings with people in Senior Chief Chikowi’s area on issues of illegal mining and its impact on the environment.
“We have advised the people that they should form cooperatives and get licensed so that they should be allowed to mine gold. We also told them that there are regulations in gold mining that need to be followed,” he added.
Southern Region Mining Engineer, Malumbo Mpasa, said the people were also advised on how they can get mining licenses in the Ministry of Mining, adding that the government loses a lot of revenue when people do illegal mining.
Zomba Police Station Community Policing Coordinator, Inspector Naison Chibondo, said police will arrest those who are involved in illegal mining and will also confiscate their mining tools.
Village head Nkanda said people in his village are at risk of river flooding because the Thondwe River has been tampered with due the illegal mining.
The village head asked the CSOs and the police to stop illegal mining saying this has a toll on the environment.
