He made the remarks as the world celebrated the International Mining Day.
When he was asked on quarrying in Rwanda, this official said: “It is clear that quarries can generate production on a national level because of the taxes and levies they pay, but because investing in the sector is easy, local government institution meddles with quarrying including registration under more than one operators.”
He added that when you want to speculate about the potential of minerals present in an area, you face challenges including resistance from would-be relocated residents with the support of mayors. ”Local authorities make it difficult when you want to relocate the residents. They tell them to make it difficult. In such circumstances, you stop what you were doing, and the investor leaves. This also affects the people who would get jobs and the country loses. They (authorities) instead give the quarries to people known to them,” he says.
Asked by IGIHE whether mayors are also involved in the issue, Uwimana briefly responded: “Yes, they are.”
He said that, in some cases, an investor may call the mayor to tell him the problem he has encountered, but the mayor declines to take their calls for two months.
The Chief Executive Officer in Mines, Petroleum, and Gas board, Francis Gatare said that some delays are at times experienced as the newly revised law on quarrying put the powers of issuing permits at different levels; national, district and sector levels, but he also admits that there are really still issues in quarrying.
Governor of the Northern Province, Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi said that when someone meets the requirements, their permits should be expedited.
“When you apply for the permits and meet the requirements, you should not be delayed, we are going to have a meeting and identify the reason why they refuse to give them permits. I will tell local government leaders, that mining benefits us especially that when it is done properly, it creates jobs and income for the country,” he said.
However, he noted that there are some leaders who give permits to people who do not meet the requirements to the detriment of the environment.
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