By Staff Reporter

Civil society organisations and other stakeholders have welcomed Government’s decision to devolve some mining functions to district councils, describing the move as an important step towards bringing decision-making closer to communities affected by mining activities.

The organisations, speaking through the Malawi National Alternative Mining Indabas, say decentralising selected mining responsibilities could strengthen transparency, accountability and public participation in the management of the country’s mineral resources.

They argue that district councils are closer to mining communities and are therefore better placed to understand local concerns, monitor developments and facilitate meaningful participation by residents in decisions that affect their livelihoods and environment.

The devolution of mining functions is also being viewed as an opportunity to improve communication between Government, mining companies and communities, particularly in areas where mining operations have raised concerns over land, environmental protection, compensation and access to information.

However, the civil society organisations have cautioned that transferring responsibilities to district councils without providing the necessary resources could undermine the objectives of the reform.

They have called on Government to ensure that councils receive adequate financial resources, qualified personnel, equipment and technical expertise to effectively carry out their new mining-related responsibilities.

According to the stakeholders, district councils will require sufficient capacity to monitor mining activities, engage communities, assess local impacts and ensure that companies comply with relevant laws and environmental requirements.

They have further stressed the need for mining-affected communities to be actively involved in the implementation of the devolution process.

Traditional leaders, women and young people should also have meaningful opportunities to participate in consultations and decision-making processes, the organisations say.

The groups argue that community participation should go beyond simply informing residents about decisions that have already been made. Instead, communities should have access to relevant information and opportunities to influence decisions concerning mining activities in their areas.

Environmental protection has also emerged as a key concern.

The organisations have urged authorities to ensure that devolution does not weaken environmental oversight or human rights protections. They say district-level institutions must have the capacity to identify and respond to environmental and social risks associated with mining.

Mining activities can have significant effects on land, water sources, agriculture and livelihoods, making effective monitoring and enforcement particularly important in affected communities.

The stakeholders have therefore called for clear lines of responsibility between central Government institutions, district councils, traditional authorities and other actors involved in the mining sector.

They say stronger coordination will be necessary to prevent confusion and ensure that mining laws and regulations are consistently enforced across districts.

The organisations further emphasise that the success of mining devolution should not be measured simply by the number of functions transferred from central Government to councils.

Instead, they say, the reform should be judged by whether it produces tangible improvements in the lives of communities living in mining areas.

These improvements should include greater access to information, increased community participation in decision-making, stronger environmental protection and a fairer share of the economic benefits generated by mining.

The call comes as Malawi continues to promote investment in its mining sector as part of efforts to diversify the economy, increase foreign exchange earnings and create employment opportunities.

As mining activity expands, civil society organisations have maintained that economic development must be accompanied by strong governance mechanisms capable of protecting communities and ensuring that mineral wealth benefits the wider population.

For the devolution programme to succeed, they say, Government must therefore combine the transfer of responsibilities with adequate resources, institutional capacity, transparency and meaningful citizen participation.

The stakeholders believe that if properly implemented, decentralisation could give communities a stronger voice in mining governance while enabling district councils to respond more effectively to local challenges.

However, without adequate funding, skilled personnel and enforcement capacity, they warn that the transfer of functions could place additional responsibilities on already stretched councils without delivering the expected benefits.

The civil society organisations have consequently urged Government to treat capacity-building as a central component of mining devolution and to establish mechanisms for communities to monitor how the new responsibilities are being implemented.

Ultimately, they say, mining governance should ensure that communities living alongside mineral resources are not left behind, but are actively involved in decisions and benefit fairly from the resources found in their areas.

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