Gov’t bans illegal gold mining in EES
The national government has banned unauthorised individuals and companies from mining gold in Eastern Equatoria State.
The order came after the minister for national security service, Gen. Obuto Mamur Mete, visited Kapoeta on Thursday and publicly announced a halt on the illegal sales of minerals.
Gen. Mamur said the government had embarked on stabilising the economy with mining as one of the major sources of revenue to salvage the situation.
He stressed that the government was shifting dependence on oil to non-oil revenue generation mechanisms.
“This programme is very critical, but we must implement it for the good of the nation,” Mamur said.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to selecting and registering companies to explore, exploit, mine, and sell gold both within the country and increase its authorised permeability across borders.
A statement from Eastern Equatoria Press quotes the governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong Lojore saying that registering companies to carry out gold mining was part of the robust government plan to strengthen non-oil revenue collection.
Mamur warned the youth against involvement in criminal acts, as he discouraged conflict. He advised the local population to work hard to ensure they live in peace, unity, and foster reconciliation.
The delegation dispatched by the national government arrived in Eastern Equatoria on Wednesday, led by the minister.
The group was sent to announce the restrictions on the management and utilisation of national resources in the state.
Call to protect
In September last year, South Sudanese were urged to ensure the forests, minerals, and other valuable natural resources are protected and preserved.
Several panellists on the Sawa Sawa Network, including the press secretary in the office of Vice President Economic Cluster Dr James Wani Igga, David Mayen Dengdit, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Social Policy and Research, Boboya James Edmund, alleged illegal mining in various parts of the country.
They said armed groups had blocked access to riverbeds and fields where mining was being carried out and called for the areas to be properly guarded.
According to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), natural resources should be shared through the balancing of the needs of service delivery and reconstruction of the producing state.
Smuggling
In May 2020, Governor Lobong threatened to sue The Sentry—an international cross-border crime watchdog—for linking his family to illicit mining and trafficking of minerals in the state.
“We would like to state to the world, the people of South Sudan and Eastern Equatorians that the Lojore family (the governor’s nucleus family) has never committed any wrongdoing. As such, we are ready to pursue this case against The Sentry before the court of public opinion and the court of justice to clear our family name,” he said.
In April this year, The Sentry published a report titled “Untapped and Unprepared: Dirty Deals Threaten South Sudan’s Mining Sector, accusing prominent South Sudanese officials and their family members of illegal mining and trafficking of minerals.
Lobong termed the report as “a political witch-hunt” with the interest of “jeopardising South Sudan’s future by destroying its leaders’ reputations” and “setting the country up for internationally-backed neo-colonialism.”.
He called for the country to counter what he termed as “destructive forces” through transparency and accountability.
