Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected]
MORE than 60 youths last week converged in Bulawayo for the first edition of the Youth Mineral Potential Indaba.
The Indaba, which was hosted by the Zanu PF youth league provincial structure saw stakeholders coming together to talk about issues surrounding mining in Zimbabwe.
Among the stakeholders were the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), representatives from the Ministries of; Mines and Mining Development; Energy and Power Development and Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training.
The host of the event through the Zanu Pf youth league, provincial youth league executive deputy secretary for mines, energy and development Cde Andile Ndlovu said the Indaba was meant to guide youths so that they may gain knowledge of mining should they consider venturing into the sector.
He said he is hoping to spread the event to other parts of the country and empower more youths.
“We are happy with how this first meeting went. The main agenda of this meeting was to equip youths with knowledge of mining and encourage them to get permits so that they do it safely,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He urged the Ministry of Mines, energy and Development to organise mine tours for youths around big mines in Zimbabwe so they may get the inspiration to also work hard and reach the potential that those mines are working on.
The Deputy Provincial Mining Director for the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Development Mr Leonard Mtilimanja emphasised the importance of getting registration before one does mining.
He said mining has a lot of branches so youths do not have to worry about flooding the sector.
“One may become the miner themselves and own a mine while others become equipment suppliers for those mines and others can even do value addition. There is a lot that can be done in the mining sector,” he said.
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