African Barrick Gold (ABG), the company that operates North Mara mine, has handed a total of 724,889,825/- to Tarime District Council for payment as compensation for land taken from villagers for mining purposes.
North Mara Gold Mine
The District Executive Director, Mr Othman Akarama, said that the compensation came as a result of consultations between villagers, ABG and the government’s land task force that has been working here on the matter for about three months.
He said that the payment is a step towards betterment of relations between ABG and the villagers living in the vicinity of the mine, who had complained about delay in compensation payments for quite some time.
They directed the District Lands Officer, Mr Jeremiah Minja, to foresee the payment process in order to avoid unnecessary inconveniences. During previous compensations some residents, he said, had opted to cheat, a situation that slowed down the payment process.
It took the valuers a long time to verify the accuracy of some of the information provided by the claimants.
“We hope this time around there will be no cheating. We ask the district land officer to make sure that nothing at all denies residents their rightful payments due to unholy moves by a few elements who resort to cheating.”
He noted that the district council has put in place measures to scrutinise every piece of information provided by each claimant, including a requirement to provide a valid identity card for verification of ownership.
According to Akarama, the compensation will involve villagers from Nyamichere-Nyakunguru village near the mine whose land had been taken for grand mining purposes in two phases of 28 and 29 and were valued.
The area Councillor, Mr Suleiman Muya welcomed the move saying that it was a milestone for the newer platform for engagement among the investors and the locals to avoid regular confrontations.
By AMBROSE WANTAIGWA, Tanzania Daily News
