Parliamentary committee raises concerns over Okarikua Mine conditions
A Namibian parliamentary committee has criticized Okarikua Mining for poor working conditions, including a lack of PPE and sanitation facilities. The committee has demanded immediate improvements and increased oversight from the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
Why it matters
The report highlights critical issues regarding labor rights, safety standards, and corporate accountability in the mining sector.
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources member Ester Haikola-Sakaria has raised concerns over the working conditions at Okarikua Mining in Kunene Region, revealing that workers have been operating without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and proper ablution facilities.
Haikola-Sakaria made the remarks during a site visit to Okarikua Mining in Ohungurume village in the Opuwo Urban Constituency.
She said the committee had observed inadequate safety measures at the mine, despite workers having reportedly been operating at the site for about two years.
Photos: Parliament of the Republic of Namibia
“We came here to the site and, from a safety perspective, our people do not have proper and adequate PPE. They have been working here for two good years, and we are only told that, ‘No, those two good years are for testing,’” she said.
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