Fri, 30 Oct 2015 17:41 Angola: Living in diamond exploration...

Fri, 30 Oct 2015 17:41
Angola: Living in diamond exploration areas improves

Luanda - The living standard of the populations in diamond exploration areas has been improving substantially as a result of various projects implemented by the National Diamond Company (Endiama) in those regions.

This was said by the minister of Geology and Mining, Francisco Queiroz, who stressed that one of the responses to this great concern can be encountered in the northeastern Lunda Sul province’s Catoca Project that provides three thousand direct jobs and seven thousand indirect ones.
In addition, the minister said, Catoca has developed a social services network (agriculture, housing), and is currently building a 500 houses condominium for the local communities.
In smaller dimensions, the same is happening in other diamond exploration projects, the official added.
The minister mentioned the Kassinga Project in southern Huila province that will re-emerge soon.
According to him, Kassinga Project in the prospecting phase alone employed one thousand workers which, he added, helps improve the living of the local populations.
Francisco Queiroz stated that the living of the populations improves with investments.
He recalled that the Mining Code recommends that a portion of the revenues from taxes resulting from mining activities goes to the benefit of local communities.
Mining operators, especially those with industrial dimension, are also required to invest in social projects.