Karonga district principal environmental officer Khumbo Mbeye has commended Lotus Africa Limited for revising its environmental and social impact assessment (Esia) before reopening Kayelekera Uranium Mine next year.
He said this in an interview after the company’s C12 Consultant held a stakeholders meeting that included the media under Karonga Press Club.
engagement. | Sarah Phiri
Mbeye said it was imperative for the new developers to involve key people on the status of the Esia as the old document lacked vital parameters.
He said: “We followed with keen interest to appreciate if the current reviewed Esia has addressed some bottlenecks that were in the old document ahead of the mine’s reopening next year.
“So, it was important to meet stakeholders to seek their inputs, observations and concerns so that the revised Esia accommodates new features for the sake of progress.”
On his part, C12 Consultant senior environmental manager Rob Hartley-Louis said the ongoing stakeholders meetings were aimed at enhancing engagement between his client and government, civil society organisations, the media and the community to develop a good Esia.
He said: “Every project has both negative and positive impacts and the purpose of Esia is to assess both impacts and map the way forward.
“So, the aim of these consultative stakeholders meetings is to get views, concerns and comments that would refine negative impacts to make them to an acceptable level.”
Lotus Africa Limited owns 85 percent of the stakes in Kayelekera Uranium Mine while government owns 15 percent.
