By Gilbert Ngonga
In a joint statement, Congolese civil society organizations and platforms specialized in mining issues (Justicia Asbl, LICOCO, RND Asbl, POM, MDR, GANVE, CDH, ESPOIR NGO, RCEN, CERN / CENCO, TPRDC, MAX IMPACT), which have monitored the exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo, ask the President of the Republic to dismiss the Minister of the Portfolio of the Government of the Republic, for not respecting the vision of the Head of State on the fight against anti-values in Portfolio companies, and for ignoring the reports of the Superior Council of the Portfolio of 2021 and the General Inspectorate of Finance of 2022 on COMINIERE SA by protecting agents accused of sell-off, mismanagement of State assets and incompetence for reasons to be given to justice.
These organizations also ask Felix Tshisekedi to change the General Directorate of the Mining Cadastre in office for more than ten years and which, according to them, the management of the register of mining assets of the State has been increasingly contested by several people for years.
In addition, they call on the President of the Republic to ensure that no interference or political pressure is made on the justice system regarding this case (COMMINIERE SA) which, according to these organizations, should serve as an example to all other managers of the companies in the Portfolio.
To this end, these civil society organizations ask the Prime Minister, Jean Michel Sama Lukonde, to urgently propose new competent and patriotic representatives, for appointment by Felix Tshisekedi at COMINIERE SA "to replace those who have failed to protect the interests of the State and those of the population, including that of Manono and Malemba Nkulu."