Wanjik: Focus on validity of licence

By CALDRON LAEPA
FORMER mining department secretary James Wanjik believes the question everyone concerned with Nautilus Mineral’s sea-bed project should be asking is whether its mining lease is valid, not environmental issues.
Wanjik says the project cannot be challenged on the legal grounds regarding its environmental impact because Nautilus Mineral has complied with much of the laws of the land.
The real issue, he says, is whether the licence issued to the Canadian-based company is valid.
“As a former secretary for the mining department, I am very familiar with mining laws within the country.
“The issue here is not the environmental impact as many are saying.
“You cannot speak much about the environmental impact until the project has commenced.
“The environmental studies were completed, there may be objections.
“Scientist would always object to each other about what they think is right”.
“NGOs and concerned groups should question the validity of the mining licence issued”.
Wanjik claimed that the Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) was illegally set up.
“The MRA’s licence is not valid.
“I was removed as the secretary because I did not support the establishment of the MRA.”