Freda Rebecca Gold Mine Managing Director Patrick Maseva-Shayawabaya says formalising artisanal mining is key to improving production, miner welfare and stability at Kitsia Torta, as the company rolls out a new legal framework on its mining lease.
Maseva-Shayawabaya said experience from other areas where the company works with ARTISANAL and small-scale miners shows that structured support delivers mutual benefits. “We have seen marked improvement on both production and the welfare of production,” he said. “Where we are involved elsewhere, miners are supported with operational inputs so they can achieve higher levels of production. They benefit from that output, and we also benefit as the claim owner.”
The comments come as Freda Rebecca Gold Mine initiates a formalisation exercise at Kitsiyatota, a site that for years has been plagued by disorder, illegal fees and disputes over access. Thousands of artisanal miners were previously pushed out after access charges reportedly surged, with many losing control of shafts they had developed, while others were completely excluded from mining activities.
Under the new arrangement, artisanal mining will be allowed to coexist with large-scale operations, but within a regulated and lawful framework. The process includes voluntary registration by miners, followed by ground verification of registered shafts before formal contracts are signed.
More than 1,000 miners and operators have already registered to operate legally on Mining Lease 21, signalling strong buy-in to the initiative. Miners say the move could bring predictability, reduce exploitation and restore confidence at the site.
