BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE national government has been urged to strongly consider the negative impacts of mining.
Isabel premier Leslie Kikolo made the reminder in his second appointed speech in Buala, Thursday.
Kikolo said with the current provision in the Mines and Mineral Act, it does not provide the legal right for the Province to say something regarding mining.
He said learning from the negative impacts of mining developments that has occurred in the country and also other countries, there is a need for the government to consider the negative impacts of mining.
“I urge the national government that as much as possible let those negative impacts on mining be not repeated in our province should mining take place anytime as from now,” Kikolo said.
He also said in one of the Isabel leaders’ summit there was a decision to halt mining operation until when the province is ready.
However, Kikolo said the province is also aware that with the current situation in order to sustain the economy of the country, in any event resource owners allow their land for mining, then the province want to see resources owners, surrounding communities living around the proposed tenement area and the province as a whole must receive the maximum benefit from such operation.
