AIBIS AND PLANET GOLD UGANDA SHARE STRATEGIES ON SOUND MANAGEMENT OF CHEMICALS IN ARTISANAL MINING AND IN AGRICULTURE.

Ms. Lynn Gitu the Project Manager of PlanetGold Uganda has said that more efforts are needed
in regulating the use of chemicals such as mercury in artisanal gold mining.
“The Government agencies, artisanal miners and other stakeholders need to take time to
understand fully the dangers of using mercury extensively on human life and environment at
large. It is dangerous for us all if we only focus on the money coming out of mining gold but we
don’t consider the short term, medium term and long term negative effects of the chemicals used
in the process,” she said.

Gitu was on Tuesday speaking at a strategic partnership meeting she held at her office in Nakawa
with a team from the African Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (AIBIS). The AIBIS
team was led by the Executive Director, Allan Kalangi.
“Financial benefits should always be weighed against the negative effects of all income
generating projects everywhere they are established,” Kalangi said.
Ms. Peruth Atukwatse, the Senior Programme Officer in charge Gender and Chemicals
Management at AIBIS said that there is need to sensitise more the grassroots communities on the
dangers of certain chemicals they use daily in their work. She said that not only are chemicals
abused in artisanal mining, but also in the agriculture sector.
“Chemicals used in artisanal mining spill over to agricultural fields where in most cases they
mingle with agrochemicals such as herbicides and pestcides already used by the farmers thus
aggravating the pollution problem”
AIBIS and PlanetGOLD Uganda agreed to continue having discussions and strengthening
synergies on contributing to curbing the chemicals problem in Uganda especially in artisanal
mining.