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{
    "id": 474738,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/474738/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 641,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Emanikor",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1092,
        "legal_name": "Joyce Akai Emanikor",
        "slug": "joyce-akai-emanikor"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me this chance to contribute and to support this Bill. I am in the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and I want to reassure Members on behalf of my Chair that we are working hard to bring many amendments regarding the royalties and the revenue sharing formula and even reducing the powers of the Cabinet Secretary. An earlier speaker alluded that the law that we are using in mining was enacted in 1940, which vested a lot of powers in one man, namely, the Commissioner of Mines. This is in terms of the licensing and giving the mining rights. There was no other body. This Bill has created bodies with clearly defined and distinct roles and regulations. There will be a National Mining Corporation, which will have a board. This will deal with mineral prospecting. It will enter into contracts and agreements. It will also invest on behalf of the national Government. As I said earlier, some of the amendments that we are bringing will reduce the powers of the Cabinet Secretary in regard to the licensing regime and mineral rights. We have proposed an amendment that will establish a regulatory body which will have technical and professional bodies represented in it and maybe key relevant Ministries like the Treasury and the Ministry of Lands. The body will mainly deal with licensing and mineral rights. Hon. Deputy Speaker, Clause 97 of this Bill stipulates that all agreements entered into will be accessed by the public. We know that many agreements in this country are not known. We are not able to access the agreements that the Government has entered with oil companies and other big investors in this country. This Bill clearly provides that the Cabinet Secretary shall publish reports, agreements and records alongside any important document within the website of the Ministry for ease of public access. Agreements relating to large scale mining will be subjected to parliamentary ratification before the execution of any activity by the Cabinet Secretary. This is a good indication that Parliament will be in control and that more bodies will be involved. In Clause 44, this Bill ensures that mining investors or those who secure mining rights provide employment, skills, training or capacity to the citizens. That again, is a good thing. Finally, the Bill provides for adherence to the environment protection laws. Environmental and social impact assessments will be done and plans approved before any activity is undertaken. This is a very good Bill. For the first time, we have provided this country with a credible legal and regulatory document for the mining industry."
}