"Tanzania will mine Uranium at Game Reserve," says Maige

[Ab-Titchaz]

Tanzania 'will mine uranium on Selous Game Reserve'

​

Tanzania will go ahead with plans to mine uranium in the UN World Heritage site Selous Game Reserve, the natural resources minister has told the BBC.

Ezekiel Maige said he told the recent UN World Heritage Centre meeting it would mean the park's size would need to be reduced by less than 1%.

The UN body said it would approve the plans, as long as environmental assessments were carried out.
Money made from the mining would help in the park's upkeep, Mr Maige said.

According to the UN cultural organisation Unesco, the 5m hectare-Selous Game Reserve in the south of Tanzania has large numbers of elephants, black rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, hippos and crocodiles - and is relatively undisturbed by humans.

'Regrettable' In an interview with the BBC Swahili Service, Mr Maige said the uranium mining project was in its infancy, but it would only affect about 0.69% of the current World Heritage site park and would be an important source of income for the country.

Firms could expect to earn $200m (£125m) each year from mining uranium from the site, of which $5m would be paid to the government, he said.

Some of this would be able to help with the costly business of managing the park, and it would provide employment for about 1,600 Tanzanians.

During the annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee, the minister said concern had also been expressed about the Undendeule Forest Reserve, to the south of the Selous Game Reserve.

But Mr Maige, who also serves as Tanzania's tourism minister, insisted there would be no impact on that forest either.

He said it currently costs the government about $490,000 a year to manage it and the income from mining would help pay for guards to stop poaching.

He said Tanzania did not need permission from Unesco to go ahead with its uranium mining plan, but the East African nation wanted to take into account the organisation's recommendations.

"The uranium project will go ahead," he told the BBC.

Unesco spokesman Lazare Eloundou Assomo told the BBC it would be "regrettable" if Tanzania started uranium mining without the UN body's approval.

He did not say how long the assessments would take.

The World Heritage Committee wanted Tanzania's own assessment to be approved by the country's environmental agency, Mr Maige said.

The second requirement was for a UN team of experts to visit the area to give their own recommendations for the protection of the ecosystem.

The minister said a decision would then be taken at next year's WHC meeting about changing the boundaries of the Selous Game Reserve.

Studies so far had shown that there was no need for concern about radiation poisoning from the uranium extraction in the area, Mr Maige said.

"Radiation levels will remain the same - the minerals in the ground are already emitting a degree of radiation, but it is not dangerous for human beings, the animals or the [Mkuju] river," he said, adding that the uranium would be processed abroad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13989264

 

[Ab-Titchaz]

Panaponiudhi na kunishangaza mpaka nakata tamaa ni pale Bw Maige anaposema...

"Radiation levels will remain the same - the minerals in the ground are already emitting a degree of radiation, but it is not dangerous for human beings, the animals or the [Mkuju] river," he said, adding that the uranium would be processed abroad

 

[Chimunguru]

Huyo ndo waziri mwenye dhamana ya serikali anasema Uranium itakuwa processed nje ya nchi. Kuna post moja ipo humu JF inasema jamaa wata generate neary $200 kwa mwaka lkn serikali yetu itapata $5 na ma side effects kibao, mazingira kweli Tz ni shamba la bibi!!

 

[Kaunga]

Huyo ndo waziri mwenye dhamana ya serikali anasema Uranium itakuwa processed nje ya nchi. Kuna post moja ipo humu JF inasema jamaa wata generate neary $200 kwa mwaka lkn serikali yetu itapata $5 na ma side effects kibao, mazingira kweli Tz ni shamba la bibi!!

Hata mimi imenishtua hiyo, $5mil ndio budget ya mradi wetu na ni msaada toka USAID, kwakweli hatujifunzi kitu!Hiyo 5mil hata desaster management haitoshi, n we still risk extraction of that dreadful thing for that peanut, ni mara MIA tuanzishe porno business inalipa kuliko hii kitu aisee! I hate Tanzania!

 

[Roulette]

Jana tu niliongea na engineer wa METAGO ambayo ni shirika la consultancy linalofanya feasibility ya hiyo project. Mwenyewe kanambia it is dangerous na wanapoenda kuchukua samples na vitu vingine wanavaa vifaa vya kupima radioactivity sababu wanachokonoa hiyo ore.

How can the Minister say haina impact?

Upande mwengine naelewa nchi haiwezi kukalia reserve kama hiyo, they need to mine it.

Ningeshauri wasubiri utaalam wa UNESCO na pia wajaribu ku-renegociate hiyo deal ili nchi nzima ifaidike kutokana na huo mradi, isiwe hako ka 5M per year, that is insignificant. Hiyo ni merely the CSR budget ya kampuni ndogo ndogo. With high risks should come great benefits...

 

[Baba Sangara]

Huyo ndo waziri mwenye dhamana ya serikali anasema Uranium itakuwa processed nje ya nchi. Kuna post moja ipo humu JF inasema jamaa wata generate neary $200 kwa mwaka lkn serikali yetu itapata $5 na ma side effects kibao, mazingira kweli Tz ni shamba la bibi!!

... And this is how they will do it.. They will claim that they have to invest 600 Mio in equipment and technology to mine ( real figure 25 Mio).. get a tax break for 5 years perhaps extended to 10 years... declare huge operating expenses, under-declare their yield and voila we get screwed yet again!...

I once imported a 15 year old truck trailer I bought for Europe worth 6K euros.. I asked the company to leave it on their web-portal as "sold" until I had cleared it with the TRA.. Mswahili wangu TRA akaniambia "hio tela sio chini ya Euro 15,000... Receipts, pre-shipment inspection documents hazina maana hapa"... He went about his office and produced import declarations for Barrick Gold for the exact same type of trailer valued at USD 350K... I told him that was impossible and went to the manufacturers web-portal and called the sales department who told us both that the retail price was between 60K-70K USD... To cut the story short the only way I got out of it was promising him his 2 Mio cut and also got an insight into how those "big investors" screw us in all possible ways...

 

[MAMMAMIA]

Jana tu niliongea na engineer wa METAGO ambayo ni shirika la consultancy linalofanya feasibility ya hiyo project. Mwenyewe kanambia it is dangerous na wanapoenda kuchukua samples na vitu vingine wanavaa vifaa vya kupima radioactivity sababu wanachokonoa hiyo ore.

How can the Minister say haina impact?

Upande mwengine naelewa nchi haiwezi kukalia reserve kama hiyo, they need to mine it.

Ningeshauri wasubiri utaalam wa UNESCO na pia wajaribu ku-renegociate hiyo deal ili nchi nzima ifaidike kutokana na huo mradi, isiwe hako ka 5M per year, that is insignificant. Hiyo ni merely the CSR budget ya kampuni ndogo ndogo. With high risks should come great benefits...

Hapa unakusudia nini Mkuu?

Uranium ipo pale karne na karne na hakujawa na madhara yoyote, na kama hawataichokonoa itabakia hapo milele bila madhara. Nafikiri iko haja ya hawa jamaa kukamatwa mikono na kuambia HAPANA. Hivi Tanzania tuna nini? Tuko tayari kuua watu wetu, mazingira yetu na urithi wa ardhi ya watoto na wajukuu wetu kwa konzi ya dola (a fist-full of dollars).

Masikini nchi hii. Hapa nilipo ninachemka kwa hasira na uchungu moyoni. Oh Lord! Save this country from the greedy leaders.

 

[Saint Ivuga]

uranim ambayo haina impact? ony in tz

 

[Geza Ulole]

Panaponiudhi na kunishangaza mpaka nakata tamaa ni pale Bw Maige anaposema...

But be thankfull that will be processed abroad! Imagine if we have a nuclear plant in this TZ of ours! How risky can that be?

 

[nguluvisonzo]

Hapa unakusudia nini Mkuu?

Uranium ipo pale karne na karne na hakujawa na madhara yoyote, na kama hawataichokonoa itabakia hapo milele bila madhara. Nafikiri iko haja ya hawa jamaa kukamatwa mikono na kuambia HAPANA. Hivi Tanzania tuna nini? Tuko tayari kuua watu wetu, mazingira yetu na urithi wa ardhi ya watoto na wajukuu wetu kwa konzi ya dola (a fist-full of dollars).

Masikini nchi hii. Hapa nilipo ninachemka kwa hasira na uchungu moyoni. Oh Lord! Save this country from the greedy leaders.

Cha ajabu jamaa anasisitiza $5 m itasaidia kwa ajira, ulinzi na kadhalika hivi hawa madhiri (mawaziri) wetu ni vichaa au ni nini?

Jamani wananufaika wengine mali ni yetu, ujinga mkubwa, serikali inahitaji kuondoka yenyewe kabla hatujaingia barabarani, $5.0m kwa more than $125.0m, iko kazi.

 

[Katavi]

kweli nchi yetu ni shamba la bibi!

 

[Nonda]

Huyo ndo waziri mwenye dhamana ya serikali anasema Uranium itakuwa processed nje ya nchi. Kuna post moja ipo humu JF inasema jamaa wata generate neary $200 kwa mwaka lkn serikali yetu itapata $5 na ma side effects kibao, mazingira kweli Tz ni shamba la bibi!!

Niger has produced uranium for decades but remains one of Africa's poorest countries as it faces cycles of food crises.

Libyan crisis hammering Niger economy: president | Reuters

 

[Steve Dii]

Yaani tunapokea asilimia 2.5% kutoka katika madini yetu?? Na hiyo inaweza kuwa chini zaidi maana tunaachiwa a fixed $5m kwa mwaka, wakati profit kwao inaweza kuzidi hiyo $200m kwa mwaka kadili uchimbaji unavyojiimalisha!

 

[Zing]

Wameshindwa kumarket na kuendeleza utaliiii wanadhani hiyo URANIUM itakuwa na effect toafuti.???? Au ni kwa faida ya Investor wa nje zaidi.

Inabidi tuombe viongozi wa Tanzaia wapewe Decision support system maana. Decision zao wenyewe ziko bado 1990

But Powa tu namna gani vipi wafanye mpango mkubwa zaidi tuwauze hao wanyama wote kwenye hiyo game reserve waondoe usiku....na tuite hilo eneo Uranium Mineral Reserve. Sounds good?

 

[Heri Pundamilia]

hiyo uranium inaenda wapi? Hatujui au ?

 

[Njowepo]

Apo mtu kashalamba % yake ndo maana anadiriki kusema haina madhara sijui science aliishia darasa la ngapi

 

[pmwasyoke]

Si waiache ikae huko chini hadi kizazi kitakachokuwa na uelewa na uzalendo zaidi kitakapokuja?

 

[Baba Sangara]

Si waiache ikae huko chini hadi kizazi kitakachokuwa na uelewa na uzalendo zaidi kitakapokuja?

However much I dislike Museveni, he decided exactly that when Uranium was discovered in Uganda.... Anapeleka watu shule kwanza halafu ataichimba wakati ujuzi upo nchini....

 

[Kisima Kubwa]

Of late there has been disappointing debate going on locally, but influenced by the international organizations, regarding the mining process of uranium in Selous game reserve, in Namtumbo district of Ruvuma region.

It is the project initially licensed to Australian company, Mantra Resources, for ground work. Later on the project sold to Russian government corporate firm, ARMZ, reason recommended by Tanzanian government. It is reported the project will raise Tanzania status in the industry to seventh in the world.

"If all the reserves we have are fully exploited, Tanzania can become the seventh leading uranum producers in the world," said President Jakaya Kikwete, when opening the offices of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission in Arusha. On same subject, Premier Misengo Pinda was again quoted during 2011/12 budget parliamentary sessions as saying the project is to go as planned.

The idea here is to advise the activists, to grow trust to the government and what is so is when the top leaders shows the way to national growth. Again when the citizens are assured of safety of environment and living creatures in the area.

It is high time Tanzanians have dared to welcome such large projects for the benefit of the people especially when it is assured the area to be affected is very very minute.

Kisima

 

[SILENT ACtOR]

Hapa issue ni matatizo ambayo watz wameanza kuyapata hata kabla hizo large projects hazijaanza. Kama umesikiliza tbc hivi karibuni kulirushwa kipindi kuelezea madhara wapatayo watz wanaoshiriki ktk utafiti wa uranium. Kama mwanzo tu ni hivi ,hapo baadaye itakuwaje? Harakaharaka wakati watu wanaathirika ni ya nini/ Kwa faida ya nani? Tuwe na imani na serikali hii ktk large investiment kwa staili hii? Hapo sijaelewa kabisa!