The Ministry has established a mining and petroleum COVID-19 prevention and control taskforce. In response to the call made by the taskforce local and international firms engaged in the mining and petroleum sector has contributed 55,417,760 birr.
In the first round the mining and petroleum companies donated 52 million birr in cash and in kind. In the second round six mining and petroleum companies donated 3,417,760 birr in cash. Newmount Ventures Ltd deposited USD 50,000 (1,678,160 birr) at the Commercial bank of Ethiopia Corona Virus Mitigation Trust Fund, Yetebaberut Beherawi Petroleum 500,000 birr, Yara Dalol BV 520,000 birr, GPB Ethiopia Resources 540,000 birr, Nubian Gold Exploration 50,000 birr and JR Petroleum 129,600 birr.
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum on Thursday recognized the mining and petroleum companies which made the donations in the second round campaign. Misganu Arega chairperson of the National COVID-19 Aid Coordinating Committee, Samuel Urkato (PhD) , the Minister of Mines and Petroleum and Koang Tutlam, state minister of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum handed out certificates of recognition to the mining and petroleum firms which made donations in the second round campaign.
During the occasion Misganu Arega, the state minister of Trade and Industry, said that the COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting the economy and affecting peoples well-being. “We need to unite and tackle the challenges we are facing in connection with the spread of the virus in our country,” he said.
Misganu said that the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum was undertaking an exemplary work in assisting the national effort to prevent and control the spreads of COVID-19 in the country. “I would like to thank officials of the Ministry who are coordinating the mining and petroleum companies’ assistance to combating the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Misganu also acknowledged the mining and petroleum companies who made donations to the national COVID-19 Mitigation Trust Fund. “I would like to thank the mining companies who made a generous assistance to national effort to combat the pandemic,” the minister said.
Samuel Hurkato (PhD), the minister of Mines and Petroleum, told The Reporter that the mining companies are making contributions in two ways. “One they are contributing in cash and kind to the national COVID-19 Mitigation Trust Fund and second they are generating the much needed foreign currency withstanding the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Samuel said.
According to Samuel, the Ministry will continue raising fund for the fight against the pandemic.
