‘Mining policy will grow key sector’

MASERU – MINING Minister Keketso Sello has appealed to Basotho to fully support the implementation of the Mining and Minerals Policy with the aim to grow the mining industry. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Sello said the mining policy will help guide how the sector should be run.
A workshop to discuss how the policy will be implemented was held on Monday and Tuesday this week.
The Minerals and Mining Policy was developed and approved by the cabinet in 2015.
The policy was officially launched in September 2016.

Sello said the ministry solicited technical assistance from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop the policy.
He said prior to the development of the policy there was no policy document to give strategic direction and guide the implementation of the government’s goals in the minerals and mining sector.

He said in order for the policy to be successfully implemented there should be a comprehensive implementation plan and strategies in the areas of capacity development of the ministry in issues related to human resources and institutional reforms.
He said there should be a clear financing plan showing the extent to which resources are available and can be mobilised to implement the policy and the ability to provide estimates for planned activities.

Sello said it is also equally important to put in place a sound monitoring and evaluation plan to help monitor the implementation process as well as enabling the government to assess the adequacy of the budget to implement the policy.
“This policy will clearly state the roles of the different stakeholders from the government, the mining companies and the public at large,” Sello said.
“We as the government, the mining companies, civil society organisations, parliament and Basotho nation’s role is that of developing, executing and guarding this policy together,” he said.

He said however their roles differ in magnitude “as we know that the civil society organisations and the public play more of a critical, watchdog role to ensure that the mining industry is operated and supervised accordingly”.
He said the policy implementation plan development process is going to be fully participatory and thus the ministry will seek input from other sectors of society and stakeholders.

“Your participation as stakeholders will ensure that not only the implementation plan direction is identified, but also the legal and regulatory regime that will flow from it,” he said.

‘Makhotso Rakotsoane