Five villages in in Tarime district have received 2.3bn/- as royalty payments Barrick Gold Corporation, through its subsidiary Twiga Minerals and the North Mara Mine.

The disbursement include recently 1.1bn/- and another 1.2bn/- disbursed during the second quarter of last year to the first quarter of this year.

The benefiting villages include Genkuru, Nyamwanga, Nyangoto, Kerende, and Kewanja.

The handover of the royalty cheques to the village leaders took place on Tuesday at Igwe Secondary School grounds in Tarime District, attended by village residents, members of the Parliamentary Committee on minerals, government officials, councilors, village chairpersons, Barrick North Mara employees, and Minister for Minerals, Antony Mavunde.

Minister Mavunde stated that the government will continue to oversee the mining sector carefully to contribute to national revenue growth and benefit communities, especially those living around mines through various legal levies, including community responsibility funds (CSR) which are used for implementing various development projects.

Melkiory Ngido, Barrick’s Country Manager, thanked the government for creating a conducive investment environment and pledged that the company, in collaboration with various stakeholders, will continue addressing community complaints and acting on government directives and advice to build good relations.

Presenting a report on royalty payments of one percent to the five villages, Barrick North Mara Gold Mine General Manager, Apolinary Lyambiko stated that Twiga Company, in the second quarter of 2024, provided over 1.1bn/- in royalties to the five villages, bringing the total to 2.3bn/- for the first and second quarters of the year.

North Mara Gold Mine Limited has continued to provide royalties to these five villages, which held mining licenses when the mine was established by East Africa Gold Mines Limited (now North Mara Gold Mine Limited) on April 27, 1996.

He also noted that other payments made by the mine to the community and government from 2020 to 2024 amounted to 69bn/-, covering royalties to private license holders, contributions to the North Mara Trust Fund for education support, service levies to the Tarime District Council, and CSR funds for community development.

Acting Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Minerals, Hon. Masache Kasaka, praised the government under President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan for creating favorable investment conditions in the mining sector, especially in transparency in royalty payments.

Tarime District Commissioner, Major Edward Gowele, commended the government through the Ministry of Minerals for its excellent work in involving communities in national projects and promised full participation in resolving all existing conflicts in Tarime District.

On behalf of the village leaders who received the royalty payments, Nyangoto Village Chairman Mwita Musegi thanked Barrick for the funds and promised they would be properly managed to successfully implement projects that improve the lives of the residents.