Shifeta defends phosphate mining - Namibian

ENVIRONMENT minister Pohamba Shifeta and environmental commissioner Teofilus Nghitila yesterday said the outcry against marine phosphate mining has been blown out of proportion.

This is despite deep concerns that the deep sea mining has irreversible effects on the ocean.

The two were speaking at a media briefing yesterday when they tried to allay fears about phosphate mining after it emerged that there is a group of ministers who sidelined fisheries minister Bernardt Esau. Shifeta said the ministry will not take decisions based on emotions, or toyi-toying.

“We don't take decisions based on faith, but take decisions based on science,” he stated.

Phosphate will be used to make fertilisers, but its extraction has been criticised by Esau and environmentalists for being a danger to the ocean and the fishing sector.

Shifeta said Namibia is the only country which extracts diamonds from the sea, but nobody has complained about that type of mining.

“It is the fear of the unknown,” he said, adding that the only way to know the effects of phosphate mining is by allowing the company to mine phosphate. Shifeta said if there is anyone with proof that the commissioner favoured the company which was issued with an environmental clearance certificate, they must come fourth with evidence.

The ministry of environment issued an environmental clearance certificate to Namibian Marine Phosphate (NMP), a company owned by Omani billionaire Mohammed Al Barwani through his company Mawarid Mining LLC with 85% shares, while 15% is owned by business fixer Knowledge Katti, through his company Havana Investments.

Shifeta said: “It is recognised that there is no historical evidence of marine phosphate mining having been undertaken anywhere in the world, and that for this reason, empirical evidence on the likely consequences of the proposed project is lacking”.

The minister and Nghitila agreed that the public perception of phosphate has been wrong, as some believe it is lethal or harmful like nuclear.

Environmentalists said phosphate mining would affect the fishing sector. In fact, a report released in South Africa this week said they “found that marine phosphate mining could cause significant and irreversible impacts to the biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and fishery resources”.

Nghitila said phosphate mining will not affect the fishing stock, as feared by the fisheries ministry.

“The mining will take place 120 kilometres from Walvis Bay,” he added.

Nghitila further stated that the scientists who provided him with the data he based his decision on are from a private company paid by the same company which wants to mine phosphate. He said those specialists were brought into the country and undertook tests and reported back to the ministries, including the fisheries ministry, on the fact that the effects of phosphate are minimal.

Nghitila said they also rejected two environmental impact assessments from the same company since they lacked detailed information.

He, however, admitted that there might be bias, but felt that these are professionals who are affiliated to international organisations which abide by ethical standards.

The environmental commissioner said he based his decision to approve phosphate mining on an environmental impact assessment done in 2012 by the same company.

Nghitila did not provide The Namibian with the final report since it has to be formally requested, but a draft report shows that concerned Namibians pointed at several mistakes, misconceptions and the flawed conclusions of that report. Correspondence posted by Katti on his Facebook account show that Mike Woodborne, the then acting chief operations officer of NMP, wrote a letter on 16 May 2016 to the environmental commissioner, directing him not to consider the recommendations and preconditions suggested by the ministry of fisheries and the Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment.

Four ministers on a five-man Cabinet committee set up to investigate whether marine phosphate mining will be harmful to Namibia's marine life, or can co-exist with a healthy fishing industry, appear to support phosphate, except Esau.

Those on that Cabinet committee on trade and economic development who support phosphate is chair and planning minister Tom Alweendo; Shifeta; industrialisation minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko; and energy minister Obeth Kandjoze – the “unapologetic” friend of Katti – the businessman who is pushing for the mining of marine phosphate.

Alweendo, Shifeta and Kandjoze have all made remarks in support of phosphate. Even though President Hage Geingob appears to be silent on the issue, he is still the kingmaker who brought phosphate investors to Namibia after he went to Arab nations in 2013 to seek for investors for Namibia when he was Prime Minister.

Ngatjizeko told The Namibian yesterday that he agreed for phosphate to be mined because he believes that the approval is just for a three year trial.

Asked whether he has taken time to listen to Esau's reasons on why the state should be careful before it approves phosphate, Ngatjizeko said “I've not heard from him”.