Government set to digitize mining operations

The government through the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and the Maritime Authority, is rolling out a significant initiative to digitize the country’s largest mining operations.

According to the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Department, Elijah Mwangi, the move is aimed at improving oversight of mining activities and streamlining revenue collection processes.

Speaking during a crackdown on illegal mining operations in Nyatike, Migori County, Mwangi explained that digitizing the sector will strengthen the monitoring of large-scale mining companies and enable more stringent regulation of their operations.

He emphasized that the initiative will allow the government to track mining activities more efficiently and address issues of non-compliance or exploitation swiftly.

The PS also expressed concerns about the environmental damage caused by unregulated mining, noting that the open mining environment particularly following the issuance of exploration licenses has led to widespread environmental degradation and the use of harmful chemicals.

He highlighted that some foreign mining companies are operating covertly, often conducting their activities at night to evade taxes and avoid government scrutiny.

Mwangi reassured the public that the government, in partnership with security agencies and mining experts, is fully committed to addressing illegal mining.

He added that the ongoing crackdown, which targeted six major gold mines operated by foreign entities, resulted in the confiscation of mining equipment and machinery used in illegal activities.

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The post Government set to digitize mining operations appeared first on KBC.