Tin production in the country has fallen by 25 per cent due to coronavirus related impact.

With the country’s fight against coronavirus infection keeps spiralling, the government has imposed stringent measures that have seen the mining sector affected.

According to players in the sector, coronavirus related regulations has seen workflow in the mines slow down.

“Due to the Covid-19 mitigation guidelines as set by the health officials, a team of 100 workers for instance that have been working at ago in a mine, they are now working in a rotational way, under which at least 20 people have to work on a daily basis to be replaced the following day until the entire team gets it time to mine,” Fidel Ndayisaba, a mining engineer at African Hills Fair Mining Limited & Afriset, which deals in the mining of Tin and coltan in the Muhanga district.

Rwanda has recently seen a surge in virus infection with the average daily infection going around 900 people recorded between July 15 and July 22.

The country recorded over 61,375 positive cases and 704 deaths. A cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on 14th July announced the measures, banning non-essential movements in the capital and the districts of Gicumbi, Burera, Musanze, Kamonyi, Nyagatare, Rwamagana, Rubavu and Rutsiro.

Players in the mining sector indicate that under the guidelines the workforce at the mines, which has to be at 30 per cent of their usual workforce has pushed down production.