Barrick offers Kinshasa governorate a batch of materials as a response to Covid-19
As the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic in the DRC with about 85% of the infected, Kinshasa benefits from the equipment and equipment to stem the spread of the disease in this megalopolis of more than 12 million inhabitants. The resident representative of Barrick in the DRC and director general of Kibali Gold Mines, Cyril Mutombo, on Saturday (July 11th) presented the governor of Kinshasa’s provincial city, Gentiny Ngobila, with a batch of equipment and equipment for the response to the coronavirus pandemic in the Congolese capital.
« Our assistance today is part of the Government’s support in its efforts to combat and contain the impact of the COVID-19 virus a little more effectively. In view of the above, Excellency Mr Governor, we have just handed over this batch of equipment and equipment, including 57,000 pairs of gloves, on behalf of the Barrick Directorate; 113,000 masks; 300 combinations for caregivers; 400 beds with mattresses; 77 pieces of 5L bleach; 220 pieces of liquid soap; 120 L of disinfectants; 280 garbage bags; 120 plastic buckets,” barrick’s resident representative said in essence before handing over the materials to the governor of Kinshasa.
In his words of circumstance, Gentiny Ngobila thanked the delegation of Barrick for, he said, “this high-quality philanthropic work for the benefit of the people of Kines.”
“This remarkable contribution will help to truly boost the efforts of the city of Kinshasa to support its population in observing barrier gestures, inescapably effective methods of combating pandémie….Au behalf of the Kinshasa Provincial Executive and my own, I thank Barrick Gold with all my heart through its resident director and members of its delegation. , here, for this high-quality philanthropic work for the benefit of the people of Kines,” said Gentiny Ngobila, whose Kinshasa province currently has 6,978 confirmed cases of coronavirus out of the 7971 worldwide.
It should be remembered that Kibali Gold Mines and its operator Barrick had pledged to pay up to USD 1.5 million in equipment assistance to respond to the President’s appeal to economic operators and people of good will to support the response effort against the Covid-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“To date, we are proud to say that we have gone far beyond this initial commitment and have spent about $2 million in light of the challenges that make COVID continue,” said Cyril Mutombo.
In addition to its main activity, the industrial extraction of gold, Kibali Gold Mines and its operator Barrick, in their corporate philosophy, favour the human dimension. “This philosophy of man at the centre of everything we do is the reason why, every time the DRC has been affected by a crisis, we have committed ourselves to it – we cite the case of the last Ebola outbreak that has hit the northeastern part of the DRC since August 2018; we have worked with provincial and territorial governments to combat this epidemic alongside our communities and are proud of the positive results,” said Barrick’s Resident Representative.
Kibali Gold Mines has been operating in Haut-Uélé province since 2009. In this mining company, Barrick Gold and Anglo Gold Corporation each have 45% of the shares against 10% for the SoKIMO (Kilo-Moto Mining Company) owned by the Congolese state. Barrick Gold Corporation is a global gold giant.
