By Alois Vinga
THE government has joined hands with local stakeholders in the Mutoko community to pool resources towards fixing environmental damage wrought by rapid mining activities in the area.
Mining activities in the area are blamed for causing significant environmental damage and habitat destruction, soil erosion, water contamination, and air pollution, impacting the livelihoods and health of local communities.
Deputy Minister Dr. Caleb Makwiranzou
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting recently, Deputy Mines and Mining Development Minister, Dr Caleb Makwiranzou said government had launched a pilot project to deal with mining related environmental effects.
“We have set up a steering committee in Mutoko to repair mining related environmental damages. To begin with, we have identified roads infrastructure. We need to fix these roads, which were damaged by miners as they ferried their produce to the market.
“We realise that the government alone has no capacity to single handedly repair these roads so concerned stakeholders have to join hands in solving the problem,” he said.
Makwiranzou said the programme, which is being rolled out on the basis of mutual engagement and dialogue has seen miners in the area being asked to assist with machinery like front-end loaders and graders to repair the roads.
He said the 11 mining companies in Mutoko North constituency can assist with trucks to ferry gravel as well as fuel to capacitate villagers and the local authority in realising their objectives.
Environmentalists have attributed the ongoing concerted efforts to CSOs like Silveira House for implementing programmes fostering engagement and dialogue, allowing communities to express their concerns to mining companies, political actors, and policymakers.
This engagement has seen the culmination of community cohesion which is vital for promoting responsible and sustainable mining practices, ultimately, amplifying the voice and agency of mining-impacted communities.
“While we are aware that CSR is voluntary, we will be using engagement and dialogue to source for these resources.
“We also need assistance with school furniture, ICT consumables in learning. Specifically, it is a pilot programme in Mutoko North, we will roll it out as a national programme,” added Makwiranzou.