MARA: BARRICK North Mara Mine has paid 2.1bn/- in royalties to five neighbouring villages as part of the third-quarter payment for this year.
The villages and the amounts paid to them are Genkuru (746.46m/-), Nyangoto (581.17m/-), Kerende (454.22m/-), Nyamwaga (225.99m/-) and Kewanja (98.35m/-).
Barrick North Mara Mine’s General Manager, Mr Apolinary Lyambiko, stated at the handover ceremony yesterday that the latest royalty payment brings the total royalties paid to these villages for the production period from April 2023 to September this year to 4.471bn/-.
“The beneficiaries of these payments are villages that had rights to mine gold in the Nyabigena pit, part of the North Mara mine, before Barrick assumed joint operation of the mine with the Tanzanian government through Twiga Minerals in 2019,” he said.
At the handover event, the Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima, hailed Barrick North Mara for its royalty payments.
“The royalty payments are helping to improve community services and stimulate sectoral development in these villages,” she noted.
Dr Gwajima is in Tarime District, Mara Region, for the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
In another development, Dr Gwajima handed over 222 gas stoves to women from 11 villages surrounding the North Mara Mine.
These stoves were provided by the mine in partnership with the National Gas Company to support the government’s efforts to reduce the burden of firewood collection and eliminate the risks of using unsafe cooking energy, as part of Barrick and its partners’ campaign during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
On his part, the Member of Parliament for Tarime Rural, Mr Mwita Waitara, urged the leaders of the beneficiary villages to engage with the public through official meetings to identify and implement development projects promptly.
Some of the village leaders who received the royalties expressed their gratitude and commended Barrick North Mara for strengthening its relationship with the surrounding community.
“The mine has maintained good relations with the public, especially by collaborating in sports and development activities.
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It has also fulfilled its legal obligations as directed by the government. We are very grateful,” said Zakaria Machage, Chairman of Nyangoto Village.
The Chairman of Genkuru Village, Juma Elias, thanked the mine and pledged to collaborate with the community to ensure the funds are used effectively for development projects.
“We have the funds now, there is no reason to delay projects,” he said.
