![A law unto themselves]()
A law unto themselves![]()
The conduct of prominent businessman and Ondangwa mayor Paavo Amweele with regards to the illegal sand mining activities outside Oniipa makes him think he is a law unto himself. Amweele and businessman Otto Niimboto Shikomba have come under a fire for mining sand illegally at the Ondando village in the Oniipa constituency. In fact, the ministry of environment has recommended that the pair be charged for their illegal conduct. By law, sand mining is prohibited and can only take place once permission has been obtained from the relevant authorities who in turn issue an environmental clearance certificate. The authorities in this case declined to give the green light for the businessmen to continue with sand mining, arguing the extraction site was not suitable for commercial purposes. Of course, it goes without saying that the once pristine grazing areas in many northern parts of the country have now been destroyed and damaged thanks to the illegal mining of sand for commercial purposes. Some companies are said to pay as little as N$300 per load to local traditional authorities and sell it for as much as N$1 500 or more to developers and contractors in urban areas. However, it is so sad that hapless community members have had to endure the sight of dozens of trucks carrying tonnes of sand ready to supply the construction markets, while at the same time destroying the livelihoods of thousands of communal farmers who use the land for grazing, among others. For too long the authorities have been turning a blind eye to these illegal activities, which still continues undeterred in many other parts of our country. The traditional authorities also appear to condone this practice by ignoring the environmental destruction which has ruined the natural beauty of many environments. It is also disappointing to see a political leader engaged in this outrageous behaviour by not complying with appropriate permissions to carry out his business legally. Amweele ought to lead by example in this regard and let justice take its course.
()/assets/images/3454/a-law-unto-themselves2018-11-130.jpg)
A law unto themselves
The conduct of prominent businessman and Ondangwa mayor Paavo Amweele with regards to the illegal sand mining activities outside Oniipa makes him think he is a law unto himself. Amweele and businessman Otto Niimboto Shikomba have come under a fire for mining sand illegally at the Ondando village in the Oniipa constituency. In fact, the ministry of environment has recommended that the pair be charged for their illegal conduct. By law, sand mining is prohibited and can only take place once permission has been obtained from the relevant authorities who in turn issue an environmental clearance certificate. The authorities in this case declined to give the green light for the businessmen to continue with sand mining, arguing the extraction site was not suitable for commercial purposes. Of course, it goes without saying that the once pristine grazing areas in many northern parts of the country have now been destroyed and damaged thanks to the illegal mining of sand for commercial purposes. Some companies are said to pay as little as N$300 per load to local traditional authorities and sell it for as much as N$1 500 or more to developers and contractors in urban areas. However, it is so sad that hapless community members have had to endure the sight of dozens of trucks carrying tonnes of sand ready to supply the construction markets, while at the same time destroying the livelihoods of thousands of communal farmers who use the land for grazing, among others. For too long the authorities have been turning a blind eye to these illegal activities, which still continues undeterred in many other parts of our country. The traditional authorities also appear to condone this practice by ignoring the environmental destruction which has ruined the natural beauty of many environments. It is also disappointing to see a political leader engaged in this outrageous behaviour by not complying with appropriate permissions to carry out his business legally. Amweele ought to lead by example in this regard and let justice take its course.