By Lakezone Watch Writer
Five villages surrounding North Mara Gold Mine have received more than two billion shillings as royalty from the gold mine which is operated by Barrick Gold in partnership with the government of Tanzania through Twiga Minerals.
The mining company handed over the latest royalty amounting to 1.4 billion shillings to the village leaders in an open public event held at Ingwe Secondary School, in the fast-growing town of Nyamongo, a now famous location in Tarime district, Mara region.
The huge chunk of money given to the villages represents one percent of the gold produced at the Nyabigena pit, during the second quarter of this year (2024).
“I would like to thank North Mara Gold Mine for giving the five villages’ one percent from its sales and for doing it openly,” Minister for Minerals, Mr Anthony Mavunde said when officiating at the event which was witnessed by local leaders, including councilors from the beneficiary villages.
The villages are Kerende, Kewanja, Nyamwaga, Nyangoto and Genkuru.
In the past, the villages had received more than 1.2 billion shillings from the second quarter in 2023 up to the first quarter of 2024, according to North Mara Gold Mine General Manager, Mr Apolinary Lyambiko.
This follows resumption of production at the Nyabigena pit which had temporarily stopped operations in 2017.
“This payment is made quarterly and results from gold production and sales,” Mr Lyambiko said.
The resumption of gold production at the Nyabigena pit began in 2023 after a further successful exploration carried out by Barrick Gold, when the company took over management of North Mara Gold Mine in 2019.
Minister Mavunde directed the villages to ensure the money does not get into wrong hands, but goes into the implementation of community-initiated development projects.
“If well spent, this money will make a huge development impact on the five villages,’’ Mr Mavunde insisted.
On his part, the new Tarime District Commissioner (DC), Major Edward Flowin Gowele said one of his tasks would be to supervise and ensure proper use of all money coming from North Mara Gold Mine, so it may help speed up social and economic development.
Speaking on the same occasion, Barrick Gold Tanzania Country Manager, Dr Melkiory Ngido said it was the company’s wish to continue solving the challenges facing local communities surrounding its gold mines in the country.
By doing so, production would become sustainable, Dr Ngido said.
Dr Ngido also thanked the government of Tanzania under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration for creating a friendly investment environment in the country.
“I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for putting in place an excellent environment for investment, we are seeing more and more light,’’ Dr Ngido said.
The leaders from the beneficiary villages wholeheartedly welcomed the one percent payment, promising to inject the funds into social and economic projects in their areas.
“One of the projects we will implement using this money is building a village market for our people,” said Mwita Marembela, the village government chairman at Kewenja.