‘MINES NOT HELPING US’
THE Mines Suppliers and Contractors Association of Zambia (MSCAZ) has bemoaned lack of economic freedom and citizen participation in the mining sector.
MSCAZ president Augustine Mubanga noted that local suppliers, truckers and miners were facing a lot of challenges in the sector.
Speaking at a discussion on the status of the mining sector at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Mr. Mubanga said the current situation was harsh on the association members as it only favoured foreign investors as compared to locals.
He told the Daily Nation that truckers, suppliers and miners were mere spectators while entire benefits went to foreigners.
And Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe castigated investors that did not follow laid down laws and regulations. Mr. Nundwe said every country had laws and regulations which all investors must follow.
He noted that Copperbelt was a vast province with a lot of investment in agriculture and mining, and therefore could not afford to have investors frustrating the law.
“Government does not find pleasure in seeing the Zambian people living in poverty, which is why the Republican President (Lungu) pays a high premium for the well-being of the Zambian people.
“It is for this reason that Copperbelt Minister Honourable Bowman Lusambo and I sat down to discuss challenges that the miners, suppliers and truckers were facing,” Mr. Nundwe said.
Mr. Nundwe said in an effort to address challenges of exploitation against the locals, he would meet his counterparts at Ministries of Mines and Minerals Development and Commerce, Trade and Industry, among many others.
He said there was need to rebuild and restructure the mining industry to ensure everyone was happy and that local miners, contractors and suppliers were not disadvantaged.