470 Tanzanite miners lose permits over Sh700 million unpaid dues
The government has suspended licences issued to at least 470 tanzanite small-scale miners over Sh700 million in unpaid dues.
What you need to know:
- They have to settle the outstanding fees or engage on other income generating activities to earn a living
Arusha. Small scale Tanzanite miners at Mererani had better look for other options to eke out a living.
Their licences have been temporarily revoked over accumulated fees they were supposed to pay to the government.
Should they fail pay the money, they would be taken to court under the new mining laws and their amendments.
A total of 470 of them will have to settle the outstanding fees or engage on other income generating activities to earn a living.
Manyara Regional Mining Officer Fabian Mshai said the 470 miners owe the government fees amounting to Sh. 700 million.
He revealed this at the Mererani mining town in Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, at the weekend when he was speaking to stakeholders in gemstone mining.
According to Mr Mshai, the 470 miners have 30 days to settle monies owed to his office short of which they would not be allowed into the mining sites.
He directed those still interested in the business to go to his office for verification of their licences and payment receipts.
He warned that time for fiddling over payment the fees was over and that what those affected should do is to pay forthwith.
When contacted on the issue, one of the small scale miners at Block B, Ms Mwanaidi Kimu, said many of them were facing financial hardships.
“Some of us simply don’t have money to run our mines,” she said during a meeting, calling for reprieve on the outstanding fees.
It would not be established as how many small scale miners were at the famous mines located near the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA)
