The company was suspended by the Ministry of Energy together with the security team in Amudat district following the death of two workers in two days in November 2024.
Amudat district leaders have called on the Ministry of
Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) to clarify the operations of
Evergrande Resources Company Limited in the district.
This follows the resumption of operations at the site by the company after its suspension last year. The company was suspended
by the Ministry together with the security team following the
death of two workers in November.
The deceased included Baker Magomu, 30, a casual worker who was
killed by the conveyor machine while on duty at around 4:00 am, and another
worker, John Tibita, 34, who fell into the tunnel.
Emmanuel Oyuku Ocen, the Amudat Chief Administrative Officer
says he’s surprised that the company is back to work without any clear information about its operations. He notes as a district, they have never received any information
regarding the company’s operations amidst complaints from the community.
Evergrande Resources Co. Limited has been accused of
polluting water sources using mercury for extracting gold in the area.
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Joseph Nangole Lobot, the Amudat LCV Chairman says that the company
has been suspended several times but they return to the site and continue normally.
He notes that days before the fatalities, the company had been suspended but
they resumed without doing due diligence.
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Denis Okori, the Amudat Resident District Commissioner says that as much as the district can check on the operations in the mining sites, their
hands are tied since the company is directly supervised by the Ministry He says that
the district has written reports to the ministry about the issues on the
ground, waiting for their intervention.
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Evergrande Resources Company Limited, a gold mining company
operating in Chepkararat, Lokaales Sub County in Amudat district has an exploration
license but applied for the mining lease in April last year.
Agnes Alaba, the Commissioner
of Mines Department at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development said that
the company has not yet been cleared to resume operations.
“Yes, the company was suspended from operations by the
Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Amudat Local Government and
it has not yet been cleared,” she said in a written response to our reporter.
When asked about the extraction of minerals by the company
which holds only an exploration license, Alaba said that it is a work in progress.
“Yes, Evergrande was granted an Exploration License for
exploration and development of gold and base metals in Amudat district,” she
said.
She added that the mineralization of Amudat district includes
Gold, Gemstones, Marble/Limestone, iron ore, and Mica among others.
Our reporter visited Evergrande Resources Company Limited in
Chepkararat and found the place operational. However, attempts for comment
from the officials who were within the premises including the Chinese nationals
camped at the site, were futile. The gateman referred our reporter to the
manager whose contact was not accessible by the time of filing the story.
However, Rogers Okello, one of the top managers of the company
told our reporter that he would be available for the interviews in Kampala.
