Mkango promises more CSR projects

Mkango Resources Limited, one of the country’s mineral explorers at Songwe hill in Phalombe, has committed to providing communities around Songwe of more corporate social responsibility projects.

The commitment was made on Saturday when the company handed over a K3 million bridge to communities of Mauzi Ward in Phalombe North East constituency.

Mkango Country Director Barton Kachinjika said though the company is still at an exploration stage, it is duty bound to provide social services to the communities within their working area.

“There was no connection between the two villages of Namalima and Maone; hence we thought we should connect the two areas so that the communities should have easy access to each other. This bridge will not only help the communities but will also give us access to both villages,” he said.

Kachinjika said the company has among other things provided clean water to the communities and also empowered them economically.

“We need to partner with the communities hence our provision of social services like boreholes and good road network,” he said.

Guest of honour at the event, geological survey department director Jalf Salima said the government is encouraging exploration and mining companies to provide social responsibility projects to communities they are working in.

He said Mkango Resources is one of the exploration companies in the country which is a star performer in terms corporate social responsibility.

“The bridge that has been handed over today is one of the many projects that Mkango has done for its community. This is what is in the current bill, the Mines and Minerals bill whereby we are saying companies need to have community development agreements because this is the only way that communities can benefit,” said Salima.

He said inf r a s tructure developments benefit the whole community and its life span is longer than giving the communities

cash.

“This bridge will benefit all the people in this community from young ones to elders. The bridge will benefit different generations and companies should emulate Mkango’s example in providing services to its communities,” he said.