We need change in 2018 - AMSC

THE Association of Mine Suppliers and Contractors (AMSC) says government must implement practical policies that will benefit both local and foreign investors in various economic sectors next year.

AMSC president Augustine Mubanga said he expected government to lead the way in being practical and implementing policies that would see many Zambians benefit from investors through businesses, jobs, and corporate social responsibility.

In an interview in Kitwe, Mr. Mubanga said it was imperative that Zambians started being practical and doing things differently if they were to achieve desired goals.

“Rhetoric will not help us in any way in 2018. We expect government to lead the way in being practical and implementing policies that would see many Zambians benefiting from investors through businesses, jobs and other things,” Mr. Mubanga said.

He said it was good that the government had recognised the importance of maintaining the value chain in processing Zambia's minerals.

Despite the drop in production, copper still remains Zambia’s major foreign exchange earner.

“The fact that government has implemented the value chain monitoring project should not give us confidence that we will get high value because of the changing copper prices. If that is the case, then government should insist on mining companies using local companies in their trading.

“Trading should be a preserve of Zambians because if trading is left to Zambian companies, they will create employment for local people and money will be circulating locally,” he said.

He said it was good that government had maintained a stable fiscal policy and mining companies should reciprocate by giving Zambian companies projects which they were able to do.

Mr. Mubanga called on the government to increase its stake in the mines ownership from the current 20 per cent to between 30 and 40 per cent to raise its voice in the mining sector.

He said 2017 had not been a good year because it started with low copper prices which adversely affected production in the mining companies; and most contractors’ jobs were affected.

He said after the low copper prices, a ‘war’ waged between Copperbelt Energy Corporation and two mining companies- First Quantum Minerals and Mopani Copper Mines- over increased electricity tariffs.

“This also brought a lot of uncertainty such that contractors and suppliers were used as pawns in the battle as contracts were put on hold,” he said.