Greater Kapeota CSOs sensitised on South Sudan Mining Act
May 09, 2024 (KAPEOTA) – Civil society organizations in the Greater Kapeota region of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State benefited from a follow-up training on the importance of adhering to the provisions of the Mining Act, 2012.
The training, organized by the Civil Society Coalition on Natural Resources (CSCNR) with support from the Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA), focused on creating awareness of Act among communities in mining areas.
The mining sector in South Sudan is governed by the Mining Act 2012, which provides the legal framework for exploration, development, and exploitation of mineral resources in the country. The Act aims at promoting responsible mining practices, attract investment and ensure sustainable development of the sector.
The national coordinator for the CSCNR, Vens Koma, said the key components of the legal framework on the mining sector include; control and ownership of mineral resources; regulatory authorities; licensing and permitting; community development and corporate social responsibility; sharing rent royalties and taxes; environmental protection and disputes resolutions mechanisms, among others.
He said all mining license holders are required to conduct environmental impact assessments to protect the environment and prevent pollution. They are also required to develop and implement measures to protect the environment.
Also tackled during the training were issues of corporate social responsibility, the environment and the roles of civil society organizations in sensitizing communities.
The Petroleum Revenue Management Act 2013 allocates 3% of net oil revenue to the communities in oil producing areas. This allocation is granted to remedy the development challenges in these communities in the path to sustainable development. Whereas oil production is daily major economic activities in South Sudan, the impact of the 3% net oil revenue in terms of tangible infrastructural development and service delivery especially in Upper Nile and Unity states are impractical.
Further still, the aspect of corporate social responsibility and environmental protection are not a daily routine of oil producing companies in these locations.
Francis Hakim, a participant, said the training built capacities of civil society actors, adding that they were ably sensitized on the Mining Act 2012 provisions.
Companies involved in mining consult communities prior to undertaking any activities. They should also work closely with the community members, he said.
Juma Tikol, the civil society organization coordinator for Greater Kapeota, stressed the importance of the community agreement, saying it has enabled local area chiefs to directly negotiate with companies interested in mining works.
He urged government to allow communities participate in decision making processes, while emphasizing the need for community consultations at all levels.
Christine Namana, a civil society member from Kapeota County, said the follow-up training enabled participants to learn the different types on mining activities.
She stressed the need to evaluate the impact of mining on health and environment.
South Sudan is one of the African countries known as an important oil producer. Whereas the country also has mineral resources like copper, gold, diamonds and limestone, among others, the government is promoting investment particularly in exploration and also developing the mining projects in the country.
(ST)