Gambella Aims to Maximize Gold Revenue By Strict Regulations

To boost revenue from gold and other mineral resources in the Gambella region, the local mineral resources office has announced strict regulations against illegal trading activities.

Akuta Cham, head of the Gambella Region Mineral Resources Office, shared that they will implement strict measures to tackle illegal activities that hinder the sector’s growth and profitability.

Last month, Gambella authorities shared that over the past 12 months, the mining command post in the region has reviewed the activities in the mining sector. During this period, the command post has transferred 310 kilograms of gold to the National Bank and created 2,404 job opportunities for citizens.

Akuta Cham highlighted that the Gambella region holds vast gold deposits across four districts, yet the expected benefits and revenue remain unrealized due to rampant smuggling. This issue presents a significant challenge for both the region and the nation, as traders often divert gold and other minerals to the black market instead of selling them to the National Bank, resulting in lost revenue.

To combat this problem, the regional government has established a task force to oversee operations from the regional level down to the kebele level. This task force will regularly monitor illegal activities and has the authority to revoke licenses when necessary.

In the previous fiscal year, the region contributed 300 kilograms of gold to Bherak Bank, generating over 50 million birr for the local economy. Akuta Cham emphasized that this success demonstrates the potential for greater profits from the region’s abundant resources.

Currently, 280 legally licensed entities operate in the sector, but many do not function at full capacity.

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