Mining
Youths drilled in natural resource governance
November 05, 2024 / Wahard Betha
By Wahard Betha
Forty members of youth organizations operating across the country had an opportunity to acquire knowledge in natural resource governance thanks to the training workshop that was organized by the Norwegian Church Aid and Dan Church Aid (NCA/DCA) Joint Country Programme (JCP) in partnership with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) operating in Malawi’s extractives sector.
The two-day boot camp which took place in Balaka district as one of the major mining hotspot districts was part of the Fighting Inequalities Strengthen Civil Society Program being backed by the NCA/DCA JCP.
Coordinator for Natural Resources Justice Network (NRJN) Kennedy Rashid told Mining & Trade Review that the training was organized upon realizing the gaps in youth involvement in mining.
Rashid said the training was to ensure youth from different mining hotspots districts were fed with information that will help them govern their respective organizations in their communities for better future of the sector.
He said: “This training was developed out of an assessment that was made in the mining sector where we identified a gap in youth participation in mining activities.”
“We felt like it is good to train some youth from those districts considered mining hotspots so that they are imparted with basic knowledge of mining to bridge that gap.”
“We trained them today to empower them so that they are able to engage authorities to ensure that decisions they make now do not negatively affect them in future. We want to mitigate negative impacts of mining activities taking place now in the future.”
The two-day boot camp introduced the youths to some of the policies, rules, and regulations currently being implemented in the mining sector.
NCA/DCA Country Coordinator for the joint Fighting Inequality Program Mwai Sandram expressed excitement saying with the training, they have accomplished the first objective of their program.
Sandram said they engaged the youth understanding that they are the majority of the population hence the future of the mining sector lies in their hands.
He said: “We are very impressed as joint country program because we have met the first part of the objective which is sharing knowledge with the youth.”
“Within the 2-days we have gone through the Mines and Minerals Act, Mines and Minerals Regulations, mining value chain and corruption in mining sector. These topics are very important in the participation of the youth in mining.”
“It is very significant to consider the youth because the youth constitutes the most in the population of the country, they are the most active people and the future belongs to them.”
“We need to involve them because what happens now will affect them in future.”
Sandram said most of the participants were invited from active groups which is advantage for them to utilize the opportunity in resource mobilization.
He explained that what is needed is for the youth to come up with a plan on how they contribute positively to their communities and fellow youth.
Sandram said: Our program is still continuing and we will support them. What we can encourage them is to generate their own initiatives where we can be coming in here and there to help them in resource mobilization drive.”
“They need to have plans on how they are going to engage their communities and fellow youth.”
The boot camp also included a site visit to a mining site at Nfulanjovu area in the district where the participants appreciated the challenges in mining and what can happen if laws are not followed.
On the third day of the training, the delegates were given a chance to engage with the Ministry of Mining, mining companies and the Balaka District Council.
Other CSOs who partnered the JCA in the program included: The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP); and the Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN).
There are many mining activities taking place in Balaka with artisanal and small scale miners involved in the extraction of gemstones, gold and limestone while mining companies are pursuing deposits of rare earths and other minerals.
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Rehabilitation:
The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
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Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
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