CENTRAL PROVINCE STOPS ILLEGAL GOLD MINING IN KANONA FOREST

The Central Province Administration has put an end to a gold rush happening in Kanona Forest, located in Chitambo District, due to a rise in illegal mining activities that were done without the right permissions.

Dr. Milner Mwanakampwe, the Permanent Secretary for Central Province, shared that these mining activities were breaking the law and ignoring environmental rules. He has given a strong warning to all illegal miners, making it clear that no mining will be permitted unless it follows the law completely.

Dr. Mwanakampwe mentioned that all mining in the area—whether done by individuals or licensed companies—has been stopped for an unknown period until the required environmental and forestry approvals are received from the right authorities, which include the Forestry Department and the Zambia Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA).

The Permanent Secretary also said that the area is now protected by officials, and he urged potential miners to create cooperatives and get advice from regulatory agencies before starting any mining activities.