(2 minutes read)
Namibian Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo while addressing a gathering at Uis reiterated the need to jack up Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) funds of mining companies for the betterment of local communities. He asserted the need to have symbiotic relations between the mining companies and the communities living in the surrounding area which is mostly underdeveloped.
Namibian Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo while addressing a gathering at Uis reiterated the need to jack up Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) funds of mining companies for the betterment of local communities. He asserted the need to have symbiotic relations between the mining companies and the communities living in the surrounding area which is mostly underdeveloped. While appreciating the current initiatives he stated that it is significant, but not sufficient. The Minister emphasised that mining operations should not come at the expense of the environment and communities where the mining takes place.
The Minister noted that many mining companies operate in impoverished areas, extracting resources and shipping profits out without reinvesting in the local communities. The minister holds a different opinion about mandating CSR, he stated that this does not need to be legislated but to follow a sustainable model. In order to be a successful entity, one needs to be accepted as a part of the local community and respect its traditions and culture – the only natural sustainable model.
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According to data compiled by the Chamber of Mines of Namibia for 2021, the mining sector contributed 9.1% to Namibia’s GDP while earning N$32 billion in revenues that year. The sector also contributed N$3.4 billion to the government coffers in taxes, while spending N$223 million on CSR projects.
