info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Photo from Internet
Fuel shortages that have dogged the economy since last year, are now posing a threat to the mining sector and small-scale miners have called on the Government to act decisively to avert the negative effects. The mining sector is Zimbabwe’s largest foreign currency earner led by gold exports.
Most of the small-scale mining activities are powered with energy from off the grid source with the miners relying heavily on alternative sources of energy, chief among them diesel and petrol. However, the country is currently experiencing acute fuel shortages due to increased consumption by industry and motorists among other uses against insufficient foreign currency to stock up adequately.
In an interview, Zimbabwe Miners‘ Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya, said there was a need for policy makers to cushion the small-scale mining sector so as to guarantee foreign currency earnings.
“In a situation like the one we are in, where the biggest challenge facing the economy is foreign currency, the last thing that anyone would want is any threat to the streams that are bringing the little that we have,” said Ms Rushwaya.
“There is no doubt that the availability of fuel is one such threat to the mining sector, particularly the small-scale mining sector and our appeal to Government is that please let’s find a solution that guarantees fuel to this productive sector.
