Government to borrow Shs87bn to fund Karamoja Geological mapping 

Cabinet has approved the borrowing of Shs87bn to fund Airborne Geophysical Survey and Geological mapping of Karamoja.

Between 2004 to 2011, Government implemented the Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources Project (SMMRP) in order to assist in accelerating sustainable development and reduce poverty in areas endowed with minerals.

This was to be done by strengthening governance, transparency and capacity in the management of mineral resources, with particular emphasis on community development in mining venues and improvement of small scale and artisanal mining.

In that period, all mineral areas in Uganda had airborne geophysical surveys, geological mapping and geochemical surveys.

However, due to insecurity in Karamoja region at that time, such surveys were not conducted while the rest of the country constituting 80 per cent of the total area was covered.

Since then, government has been looking for money to start mapping because currently, Karamoja is stable.

On Tuesday while addressing the press at Media Centre, government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said “Cabinet agreed to borrow up to €20.6million from the Corporate Internationalization Fund of Spain, for the implementation of Project ‘Airborne Geophysical Survey and Geological mapping of Karamoja.”

Opondo added that with that money, Government will be able to complete the airborne geophysical map of the country in order to establish mineral resources of the country, especially in Karamoja region.

The project is expected to benefit the country through improving livelihoods for mining communities as a result of better returns from mining activities.

Government agencies such as universities will benefit from access to minerals data to facilitate research in order to improved technologies of artisanal and small scale miners.