Mining, farming can co-exist, says Nganate
Project dubbed a ‘golden opportunity’
The governor said more needs to be done to sensitise Namibians on the pros and cons of the proposed project.
Omaheke Region governor Pijoo Nganate says mining and farming can coexist. This despite fears that mining activities could damage the Stampriet aquifer which provides groundwater resources to communities living in the Omaheke and Hardap regions as well as adjacent communities in Botswana and South Africa.
Headspring Investments, a subsidiary of Uranium One, is currently conducting exploration drilling on Farm Tripoli, situated 15 kilometres west of Leonardville.
“It is a golden opportunity for us as a country to prove that mining and farming can coexist,” he said.
Nganate added that there was little to be concerned about at this stage as actual mining had not commenced yet.
“We are entering into this exploration and that exploration should teach us whether we are doing the right thing,” he said.
He said he hopes more will be done to sensitise locals on the likely pros and cons of the proposed project.
“Not a lot has been done to sensitise our people or to drive out the fears and anxieties. This is a new method of drilling and we need to sensitise our people,” he said.
Faith in govt
Mines deputy minister Kornelia Shilunga said communities who are doubtful of the mining method should put their faith in government to fulfil its oversight role through the relevant ministries concerned.
“We so many times hear about complaints that mining is destroying the environment and that it is affecting the lives of our people. We have to trust the institutions that we have and society must also trust our government,” she said.
Headspring Investments has held an exclusive prospecting licence for uranium since 2011 in an area covering 7 000 square kilometres. The company said it is considering investing US$500 million once it gets approval for its mining project.
The company has drilled 600 boreholes and 29 hydrological boreholes since 2019.
Journalists invited to the Farm Tripoli site were, however, only shown one closed borehole.
Water under threat
Meanwhile, the Namibia Agricultural Union welcomed a decision by the ministry of agriculture to withdraw two permits issued for the drilling of 37 boreholes for exploration and hydrogeological purposes in the Stampriet basin.
“Should uranium mining be allowed, it could render the water in the south-eastern region of Namibia unfit for human and animal consumption, effectively bringing agriculture to a total and permanent standstill in the area,” its president Piet Gouws had previously said.
Headspring Investments, a subsidiary of Uranium One, is currently conducting exploration drilling on Farm Tripoli, situated 15 kilometres west of Leonardville.
“It is a golden opportunity for us as a country to prove that mining and farming can coexist,” he said.
Nganate added that there was little to be concerned about at this stage as actual mining had not commenced yet.
“We are entering into this exploration and that exploration should teach us whether we are doing the right thing,” he said.
He said he hopes more will be done to sensitise locals on the likely pros and cons of the proposed project.
“Not a lot has been done to sensitise our people or to drive out the fears and anxieties. This is a new method of drilling and we need to sensitise our people,” he said.
Faith in govt
Mines deputy minister Kornelia Shilunga said communities who are doubtful of the mining method should put their faith in government to fulfil its oversight role through the relevant ministries concerned.
“We so many times hear about complaints that mining is destroying the environment and that it is affecting the lives of our people. We have to trust the institutions that we have and society must also trust our government,” she said.
Headspring Investments has held an exclusive prospecting licence for uranium since 2011 in an area covering 7 000 square kilometres. The company said it is considering investing US$500 million once it gets approval for its mining project.
The company has drilled 600 boreholes and 29 hydrological boreholes since 2019.
Journalists invited to the Farm Tripoli site were, however, only shown one closed borehole.
Water under threat
Meanwhile, the Namibia Agricultural Union welcomed a decision by the ministry of agriculture to withdraw two permits issued for the drilling of 37 boreholes for exploration and hydrogeological purposes in the Stampriet basin.
“Should uranium mining be allowed, it could render the water in the south-eastern region of Namibia unfit for human and animal consumption, effectively bringing agriculture to a total and permanent standstill in the area,” its president Piet Gouws had previously said.
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