Respect contractors, mines urged

MINES must stop treating Zambian contractors and suppliers like beggars but see them as their partners in business who must be given preference over their foreign counterparts, UPND chairperson for mines and minerals development Percy Chanda has said.

Mr. Chanda said he had observed with dismay that most of the high-value contracts were being awarded to foreign companies, while Zambian contractors and suppliers were made to scramble for low-value contracts.

He said major jobs in the industry were given to foreign contractors, a trend that was adding to poverty levels in the country especially among mining townships and that such imbalances needed to be addressed immediately.

“Mining companies must stop playing hide and seek with Zambian contractors and suppliers. They should be treated as partners in business and not beggars. We have observed that most of the high value contracts are awarded to foreign companies while Zambian contractors and suppliers are made to scramble for low value contracts.

“This has been going on for a long time. The major jobs in the mining industry are done by foreign contractors hence the high poverty levels being experienced in the mining townships. These foreign companies have literally camped in the plant and work areas and this imbalance in doing business on the mines will not be tolerated by the UPND once we form Government,” Mr. Chanda said.

He said the price of copper was attractive and UPND did not believe there was any single mining company which was faced with liquidity problems and that as such, there was need for mining companies to pay contractors without any delay.

“What these mining firms must realise is that contractors and suppliers start by putting in their money first for the job to be completed. Why should it take long just to sign papers for this contractor or supplier to be paid? These mining firms must also realise that a contractor is a family person with huge responsibilities and by delaying his payment is a sure way of killing his business.

“Zambian contractors and suppliers have had no chance of specialising in any field as they are tossed left, right and centre and this is deliberate so that these mining companies can claim that Zambian contractors lack specialisation. Today, you will find this contractor doing a mechanical job, tomorrow he will be doing an electrical job and next he will be given to unblock drainages and so on. Surely what type of equipment is this contractor going to buy?” Mr. Chanda asked.