Ethiopia’s prime minister recently lauded the country’s mining resources and said the industry could hit a historic milestone by generating up to $2 billion in gold revenues this year. He made the remarks while inaugurating a gold exploration and mining factory in the Gambella region.
On 10 December, Abiy Ahmed reported that Ethiopia’s economy is “one of the fastest growing economies in Africa and a symbol of opportunity on the continent.”
“Among its many thriving sectors, the gold mining industry stands out as an important driver of growth, offering immense potential for both local and international investment,” he said on social media.
But officials in Tigray, one of Ethiopia’s richest gold-mining regions, say they are losing resources to their region without any gains at a time when Tigray is in the midst of a brutal two-year war between local rebels and the federal government. Trying to recover from.
Tigray’s interim president Getachew Reda, speaking on 15 November, said that during the past three and a half months (August, September and October) “28.25 quintals of gold came to the federal government.” “The government has not received a single penny,” he said.
The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia recently purchased $132 million worth of gold in just three months through its branch in Shire Inda Selassie, the gold hub in Tigray, according to branch manager Teki Gide. The entire budget of the Tigray region for this year is approximately $100 million.
Tigray officials said the region is struggling with a budget shortfall as it attempts to bring back services that were closed or destroyed during the war.
environmental fear
In addition to the lack of economic benefits, Tigray officials reported that gold mining has exposed some residents of the region to hazardous chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which are used to extract the gold.
Residents living close to mining areas say the chemicals are harmful to humans and livestock, with reports of cows’ skin discoloring and agricultural land being degraded, witnesses and officials said.
Some residents of the northwestern region of Tigray have gone to the courts demanding justice, asking judges to take action against gold miners whom they accuse of polluting the environment and worsening the health of their children. Make allegations.
Judge Mengistu Tekle, president of the High Court of the Northwest, told VOA that the chemicals used by miners are becoming a source of health, safety and sustainability concerns.
Mengistu said, “The use of natural resources should be regulated by law and order. It should not benefit a few individuals.” “Those individuals who benefit from these resources should not be allowed to expose security concerns, existential threats, and health concerns to the unprofitable public.”
According to multiple interviews conducted by VOA’s Horn of Africa Service, both cyanide and mercury have been used during the mining process in Tigray. The World Health Organization identifies mercury as one of the top 10 chemicals or chemical groups causing public health concerns.
Concerned over the use of chemicals, Ethiopia’s Bureau of Innovation and Technology, a government body that oversees the country’s science and technological development, asked Tigrayan regional government institutions to take action to prevent unsafe use of the chemicals.
Gizachev Veldetsadik Bayen is the director of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Department at Tigray’s Bureau of Innovation and Technology. He said a team from the bureau had traveled to mining areas posing as traditional miners and witnessed what he described as “tragic” conditions.
“It’s very scary,” Gizachev said, sharing a video of a cow affected by chemicals and photos of women washing away soil using chemicals in search of gold without safety protocols and with their bare hands.
“We’ve seen harm to animals, to the land, to the soil, to people who use running water and are suffering, their skin has been damaged, to animals who are drinking that water and to dangerous conditions,” Gizachev said. Are becoming victims of diseases.”
took action
The Tigray region’s cabinet this week called for a halt to gold mining. The announcement was made by Lieutenant General Tsadkan Gebretinsay, vice president of Tigray’s interim administration. He did not elaborate on when the suspension would begin or how the measure would be implemented.
Earlier, the Tigray Communication Affairs Bureau said in a statement that action had been taken against people who were using illegal hazardous chemicals to process gold near a dam in the Tahte Koraro district, which was built by Shire Indah Selassie. It is a source of potable water for the city.
No details were given regarding the tasks and types of chemicals used.
A security source, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, alleged that foreign companies are working with a local mining company, Ezana Mining Development.
The head of the Ezana company, Tesfatsan Desta, did not initially respond to VOA calls.
After the VOA Tigrigna Service radio report aired, Ezana issued a statement saying he had not been asked to comment on the story, which he called “distorted”.
In the statement Ezana said he had worked with foreign companies before the Tigray war. However, these companies did not return after the war due to insecurity and instability, the statement further said.
The company said the gold factory, located in the Tabia Lemat area in the Asgede district of northwest Tigray, is free of pollution, waste and environmental degradation.
Without naming any specific countries, Tigray President Getachew told the region’s expatriate community in a Zoom meeting that he believes more gold is smuggled out of Ethiopia than reported.
Getachew said what is happening in Tigray is becoming “a crime”.
“This is a very serious problem. It’s not just robbery. People are losing their animals because of the dangerous chemicals used by the miners. There are people from top to bottom, from the government and security officials, who are involved in this network. Known to participate.” ,
Repeated attempts by VOA to obtain comment from the Tigray Bureau of Land and Mining and the Ministry of Mining, as well as the National Bank of Ethiopia, were unsuccessful.
This story originated VOA Horn of Africa Service,