TI-Z Raises Concerns Over Government’s Approval of Mining Licenses in Lower Zambezi
Written by Mafken FM Newsroom on 29 October 2024
By Staff Reporter
Transparency International Zambia TI-Z has described as concerning the Zambian Government’s decision to approve large scale exploration licenses in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
TI-Z Executive Director Maurice Nyambe has observed that prospects of mining in other protected areas remain an issue, with the Lower Zambezi being one of the most contentious preproposals in recent years.
Mr. Nyambe strongly believes that explorations and mining licensing and approvals should not be permitted to occur in protected areas such as national parks and forest reserves.
He has however recommended that regulations that ensure protection and dislike of exploration and mining in environmentally sensitive areas be aligned with the administration’s aspiration to promote development that prioritizes environmental sustainability.
Mr. Nyambe further urges the current administration not to turn a blind eye to this important issue and avoid doing the exact same thing for which the previous administration was condemned for, when it attempted to approve a mining project in the Lower Zambezi National Park in 2014.
