Artisanal miners seek equal footing
February 10, 2021 Gold mining in Bugiri
Artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs) have called for equal treatment in the mining industry in Uganda, citing lack of enough support form the government.
The call came as many artisanal miners complained of being bumped off exploration areas, and also being ignored during policy formulations.
A recent study by the ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and UNDP revealed that artisanal and small-scale miners in Uganda are estimated to be around 500,000 and they are responsible for over 90 per cent of the entire mineral production in the country, hence the need to treat them fairly.
Uganda: Presidential Directive Scrapping Royalties Yet to Be Implemented allafrica.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from allafrica.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Daily Monitor
Wednesday December 16 2020
The issue of royalties was a heated topic among miners, some of who supported the ban while others opposed it. PHOTO/FILE.
Summary
President Museveni in 2017 scrapped paying of royalties on gold on grounds that it would attract foreign direct investment into the sector while limiting smuggling of the precious metal.
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The presidential directive of 2017 instructing gold miners to stop paying royalties is yet to be implemented because of bureaucracy in policy making.
Mr David Sebbagala from the Department of Geological Surveys and Mines, speaking during the second annual Uganda Artisanal Small-scale Mining and Quarrying Conference, organised by Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral Policy and Uganda Association of Artisanal and Small-scale Miners, said there is a long process involved before implementing a directive.