Monday, 10 December 2012 09:42
By The Citizen Reporter
Geita. The Tanzania Police Force and Geita Gold Mining Ltd (GGM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the weekend through which the company will provide logistical support to enable the force to perform its duties in and around the Geita Mine site diligently.
Under the agreement, the police commits to upholding law and order in the area surrounding Geita Gold Mine, through the promotion of community policing and the use of regular police units.
The police force has further pledged to fully respect Tanzanian laws when undertaking their responsibilities, including using minimum force necessary to control any situations, and further abide by the voluntary principles on security and human rights and the United Nations basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials.
The MoU aims to help the police force regain their lost trust from people surrounding the mining area as well as enabling communities to achieve their aspirations and creating a legacy of sustained positive economic benefits attained during the past few years.
The Geita Police Regional Commander, Leonard Paulo said: “This agreement gives us a momentum that we dearly require to build a community police service for the people of Geita”.
The MoU also provides for transparent guidelines on cooperative security measures by both the Tanzania Police Force and GGM, including joint training programmes.
It also establishes opportunities to enhance the safety and security of employees and community members.
while providing additional logistical support to address some of the critical law and order challenges at GGM and nearby areas.
This includes proactively reducing illegal mining which often includes the uncontrolled use of mercury by those involved in unlawful processing activities.
Gary Davies, General Manager of Geita Gold Mine said: “This Memorandum ensures that the Police, in partnership with our company, can undertake this effectively and under full compliance with Tanzanian and international laws and standards”.