We’ll spend Sh700m on school projects: Acacia

Shinyanga. Buzwagi and Bulyahulu mines have announced plans to spend a total of Sh700 million on constructing facilities at schools in Shinyanga Region in 2019.

According to yesterday’s statement by Acacia Mining, which owns the mines, Buzwagi signed an agreement of Sh500 million with Kahama Town Council to build additional classrooms, a multi-purpose science laboratory, and staff offices at 16 primary and secondary schools.

More than 1,600 schoolchildren will benefit from the projects.

It noted that Bulyanhulu Gold Mine was also scheduled to sign an agreement with Msalala District Council for Sh200 million to build facilities at five secondary schools.

“Under the agreement the mine will sponsor the construction of nine classrooms and three science laboratories, as well as provide a range of classroom furniture,” the statement noted.

Acacia’s support is in line with government efforts to make education accessible to every child in Tanzania under the country’s Development Vision 2025.

School enrolment numbers have risen significantly on account of the government’s free education policy introduced in 2016 and many are in need of additional infrastructure to cope with the situation.

“Buzwagi Gold Mine is scheduled to close in 2020 and the mine continues to implement a number of projects to prepare the local community for new opportunities once all mining and processing activities have been completed,” according to the statement.

“I thank Acacia for its contribution since the government has been overwhelmed by the huge influx of schoolchildren,” said Kahama Town executive director Anderson Msumba. Acacia is one of the largest gold producers in Africa.

Acacia says it has been operating in Tanzania for over a decade and during that time it has produced over 9 million ounces of gold from our combination of open pit and underground mines, making itself the leading gold producer in the country. It has three mines, all located in north-west Tanzania.