Mining Commission emphasises legal oversight in sector growth

DODOMA: THE Mining Commission, has reiterated the need for strict adherence to mining laws and regulations to ensure the country’s mineral resources deliver maximum benefit to Tanzanians while safeguarding broader national interests.

Speaking in Dodoma recently during a working session that brought together legal officers from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, the Office of the Attorney General, representatives of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), and Breakthrough Attorneys, the Director of Mineral Audit and Trade, Venance Kasiki, emphasised that lawyers and legal firms are key partners in strengthening compliance and dispute resolution within the mining sector.

He said effective legal advisory services are essential for improving operational efficiency, particularly for licence holders, contractors, and service providers, which in turn contributes to sustainable growth in the mining industry.

Mr Kasiki explained that the session was convened specifically to build a shared understanding of Regulation 13A of the Local Content Regulations relating to legal services, stressing the need for professionalism, integrity, transparency and affordability in service delivery.

“It is important for law firms and individual lawyers to provide high-quality services that attract investment and protect national interests,” he said.

He further urged local lawyers to strengthen their expertise so they can compete effectively in large-scale strategic projects, especially those requiring careful alignment between international agreements and domestic legislation.

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The director noted that recent amendments to the Mining Act, Cap 123, and its regulations continue to emphasise increased participation of Tanzanians by prioritising local goods and services, including legal services.

He added that implementation of the 2018 Local Content Regulations has already delivered significant gains, including increased employment, expanded use of local goods and services, technology transfer, and improved public awareness of citizens’ role in the mining sector.

Mr Kasiki stressed that lawyers have a central role in sustaining these achievements by providing legal advisory services, overseeing partnership agreements, ensuring priority is given to Tanzanians in employment and service provision, and participating effectively in dispute resolution.

The working session also examined the capacity, contributions, and achievements of 100 per cent Tanzanian-owned law firms operating in the mining sector, while identifying existing challenges and proposing strategies to strengthen their participation in the future.