Gold Miners: Free Transporting Diminishes Smuggling

Report – Rehab Abdullah

After more than two years of struggle by the local miners, justice was finally realized, with the approval of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to cancel the Decision of the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company No. 44 imposing a fee of 400 pounds per gram of gold, and its approval of a free form for transporting gold from production areas.
Huge Welcome
Goldsmiths, gold merchants, and miners welcomed the decision of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to cancel the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company’s fee of 400 pounds for transporting a gram of gold. They considered it an important step that contributes to increasing gold resources, increasing production, and frustrating smuggling. They pointed out in statements to “Sudan Events” that the miners will strive to support the country by increasing production. They sent a letter of commending the role played by every representative of the gold-producing states, and the preliminary committee of the National Mining Union in Sudan, for their efforts in resisting Decision No. 44 issued by the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company.
Gold Smuggling
Although the head of the Goldsmiths and Gold Merchants Division, Atif Ahmed, has expressed his happiness with the decision and considered vital in helping to reduce gold smuggling, in his statement to “Sudan Events”, he criticized the state’s delay in taking decisions, indicating that the decision to impose the 400 pounds caused a lot of harm to the sector and even harm to the state. He stressed that the Finance Ministry’s decision to cancel these fees helps with the flow of gold, stressing that it contributes to reducing the cost under the current circumstances, and allows the transport of gold freely without being subjected to inconveniences. He noted that the free form helps in proper planning in gold production because it shows the real product, and enables the state to make a real study on gold, because any gold must be transported from any location via the free form to avoid being targeted by the security authorities.
Gold Exports Increase
He revealed the activity of the export movement, but called for facilitating the procedures for exporting gold through a single window, to provide the state with a quick return, noting that he is now facing a very large delay, criticizing the lack of understanding by officials of the necessity of expediting and facilitating the export procedures, pointing out that there are complaints of not obtaining the export certificate for a period of more than a week ago. It was confirmed that this would impede a quick return collection. He renewed his demand for the establishment of a single window for export procedures, noting that one of the reasons for the delay in export procedures is the multiplicity of parties involved in the export certificate.
The former Secretary of Foreign Relations of the Preliminary Committee for Miners said that the collection of fees had a significant impact on mines and miners in the states, stressing that it had a direct negative impact on the country’s economy. He added that gold is an important resource and the state must take its rights, but not at the expense of others. He pointed out that the decision had created great tension in all of Sudan operating mines. He said that Ardoul had justified the decision to lift the huge revenue deductions imposed by the state. He justified that the constitution stipulates a 10% deduction from the mining output and that they collect from them 400 pounds per gate by saying that the daily return in the bills range from 6 to 7 billion pounds without any services for the miners, with the lack of drinking water, fuel, and security. He said this was not fair for the miners.