I am Bukya John Bosco, the chairperson of the Uganda Association of Artisanal and Small Scale Miners (UGAASM), and also the chairperson of Mubende Miners Assembly, which hosts over 23 mining associations. The Uganda Association of Artisanal and Small-scale Miners, on the other hand, hosts over 65 mining associations across the country.
John Bosco Bukya, Chairperson of the Uganda Association of Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (UGAASM), called for collaboration between the government and the mining sector, addressing issues like high licensing costs for small-scale miners and difficulties in accessing NEMA.
The Ugandan government’s ban on mercury usage in mining activities prompted Fargo’s commitment to assist UGAASM in transitioning to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable approach. Mercury, known for its harmful effects on human health and the environment, has long been a concern in the gold extraction process.
Ms Joventa Tugumisiriza speaking at the sidelines of the fifth edition of the Annual Great Lakes Mining and Energy Transition Mkutano in Kampala
Artisanal and small scale gold miners have called for regulation and proper management, other than a ban of mercury usage in processing their ore.
With the current global discussions on climate change and the need for an energy transition, there have been calls to decarbonize all sectors with some actors calling for a complete abandonment of fossil fuels. The recently concluded Africa Climate Change Summit in Nairobi Kenya for instance supports the inclusion of a carbon tax on fossil fuel trade