adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
SMALL scale miners in Gwanda District have accused the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) of milking them by charging what they called exorbitant environmental fees.Presenting their challenges before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy last week, small scale miners said EMA charges defied logic.
“EMA is hurting us with its charges and we end up with nothing from our mining activities because the charges are unaffordable. Most of us have bills of between $15,000 and $20,000,” said Oliver Kaweni, a well known Gwanda small scale miner.
“EMA requirements really defy logic. We end up failing to pay employees.”
He called for government’s intervention saying small scale miners need support in reviewing EMA charges.
“We are now failing to buy explosives because a certificate to buy them is $2,000 and that’s not practical,” Ncube.
The miners accused EMA and Mines and Mining Development Ministry of muzzling their operations.
The committee’s chairperson Cde Lovemore Matuke supported small scale miners saying some EMA regulations should be revised.
“Some of the EMA laws are not userfriendly and they need to be made user friendly. Some of the EMA charges are so exorbitant. We need to categorise the levels of bigger mining firms and smaller mines. We should come up with a policy that allows us to protect emerging miners,” said Cde Matuke.
He said the committee had noted that the main challenge facing small scale miners was lack of resources and financial assistance to help them revamp their operations.
Online Reporter