The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
Young miners have been urged to formalize and professionalize their mining operations in view of upgrading and up scaling to medium scale mining.
Speaking at the Young Miners Field Day in Bubi District, Matebeleland North, Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo said formalising and professionalising mining activities was one way of curbing minerals leakages.
“I am also, happy that young people, in our Province are patriotic and innovative enough to organize themselves into creating such Programs which are in line with our National Development Strategy 1(NDS 1) priority areas of focus.
“Such initiatives will go a long way in stabilizing and growing our economy by encouraging and inspiring other young miners to formalize and professionalize their mining activities which will surely diffuse smuggling and leakages of our minerals out of the country by unscrupulous and illegal buyers,” said Minister Moyo.
He said they continuously encourage young miners to formalize and professionalise their mining operations in view of upgrading and up scaling to medium scale mining.
Minister Moyo said young people, demographically constitute above 65 percent of the population therefore; they have to be fully participating in the mainstream of the economy because they are the economically active age group.
“Production, productivity, hard work, innovation and an entrepreneurial culture are the cornerstones of all our individual and collective Provincial effort.
“Hence, realistic and responsive approaches will continue to mould the implementation of our policies, projects and programs, informed by the development mantra that,” ilizwe liyakhiwa ngabanikazi, Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” he added.
He said gold deliveries to Fidelity Gold Refineries from small scale mining from January to date were almost double than the deliveries same period last year which was a clear indication that the country is in the right path to economic growth.
“In 2021, the economy grew by 7.4 percent while in 2022 it is projected to grow by 5.5 percent, leveraging on the peaceful environment, increased production and productivity in our buoyant mining sector.”
Minister Moyo implored people to keep supporting the youths in every way necessary especially for their ease of doing mining business.
He said if they are showing such great initiative by organizing such progressive gatherings, it remained their responsibility therefore, as Government, Private sector and local organizations to assist them to see their dreams come true.
“Government stands committed to support young miners and your productive mining activities to upgrade and upscale small-scale mining to medium scale in our Matebeleland North Province,” he said.
The Inaugural Young Miners Field Day was put together by the Young Miners Foundation (YMF) and Zimbabwe Miners Foundation (ZMF) Youths in Mining to celebrate Young Marino Arimando, a young miner in Bubi of Ulinda Granger Mine who has managed to formally and professionally operate a small-scale enterprise from nothing to stardom.
Ulinda Granger Mine is a mechanized small-scale gold mine with close to 100 formally employed workers and has been religiously selling its output to Fidelity Gold Refineries (FGR) evidenced by their production records and receipts.
The event run under the theme,” Young Miners leaving no one and no place behind towards a sustainable US$ 12 billion mining economy.”
