Maria David
ONGOING sand mining activities at the Ondado-Epale village in the Oshikoto Region is currently under investigation after the community launched an appeal to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism to have the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) revoked.
Minister Pohamba Shifeta, who was responding to questions on the matter, said officials from his ministry have undertaken a number of site visits to investigate the submitted allegations and their findings will be used as input for the hearing that will take place on this matter.
In 2020, the community appealed to the Ministry against the granting of an Environmental Clearance Certificate for sand mining at the Ondado-Epale Village.
This follows after the certificate was issued to Ondonga Traditional Authority by the Environment Commissioner on the 15th of October 2020.
In a document seen by Informanté, the community wrote to Minister Pohamba Shifeta, that the applicant has provided misleading information to the environmental commissioner.
“The community did not have the needed education and no notice was given such that all potentially interested parties and affected parties are provided with a reasonable opportunity to comment on the application for sand mining at the mentioned site,” read the document.
However, Shifeta said all the appeals submitted to his office have to be dealt with on an equal and not on a first-come-first-serve basis.
He pointed out that the Epale appeal will be heard when its turn arrives as it’s not to be prioritized above other equally important appeals that the Ministry is handling.
“With regard to the attendance list, we do not have any proof if the submitted attendance list is a COVID-19 attendance list or not. We carry out assessments of applications based on information that is submitted to our office,” he said.
He added that in the case of ECC application for sand mining, the ministry does not require a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment study.
“The applicant is required to complete and submit a prescribed form, develop an environmental management plan, and provide proof of community consultation,” said Shifeta.
He noted that most of the requirements were all met in this regard and are available from the Office of the Environmental Commissioner.
Shifeta stated that if there was wrong information submitted to their office as part of any application, the Ministry will definitely take serious action against the applicant, including the withdrawal of the ECC.
