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Bulawayo Bureau
VICE-PRESIDENT Phelekezela Mphoko has warned that companies benefiting from the country’s natural resources risk losing their operating licences if they don’t plough back to local communities through the community share ownership trusts.
President Mugabe launched the trusts in 2012 to help transform communities in which mining companies operate.
VP Mphoko made the remarks as he distributed an additional 3 200 chicks to the Njube community in Bulawayo yesterday.
“As Government, we could be forced to invoke statutory instruments to force compliance by companies that are harvesting the country’s natural resources yet they are failing to remit part of their proceeds to the community share trusts. We have laws to deal with such companies that violate the standing regulations and operating licences may be withdrawn from those companies which do not want to cooperate,” he said.
“Timber logging and safari hunting operators must from now onwards comply with all provisions of the community ownership trusts and start empowering communities in and around their operating areas.”
The VP said the country was rich with natural resources and urged companies to complement Government efforts in addressing poverty.
Online Reporter