Paramount Chief Kyungu of Chitipa and Karonga districts has urged mining investors in the two districts to provide mandatory insurance cover to all workers, saying mining activities are risky due to radiation.
He said this on Tuesday in Karonga during the opening of a two-day mining meeting that the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) organised.
Said Kyungu: “Much as we appreciate that mining activities transform an area and the country through income generation, there is need for miners to tackle environmental issues.
“It is also imperative to develop legally binding community development agreements [CDAs] that look into corporate social responsibility as well as job creation.”
On his part, Norwegian Church Aid and DanChurchAid (NCA-DCA) head of programmes Bryer Mlowoka, whose organisation funded the meeting, said they want to address challenges affecting the mining industry.
He said: “We believe through the creation of CDAs, the government will be able to generate foreign exchange.
“On top of that, we have to safeguard the rights of workers in the mining sector. We have to preserve the environment. We have to look into land issues where people are displaced and the healthcare of workers.”
Karonga district director of planning and development Khumbo Mkandawire said the council is committed to providing technical support to investors to contribute meaningfully to communities.
She said: “Mining offers a lot to community in terms of jobs, businesses and local development.
“However, we need concerted efforts to tackle human rights and inequalities in the industry.”
