Lumwana Mine’s local workforce swells to 70 p.c.
BARRICK Lumwana Mine has increasingly embraced locals as part of the company’s workforce, with around 70 percent of its employees now hailing from the surrounding areas, says sustainability manager Christopher Mukala.
According to Mr Mukala, Barrick Lumwana has implemented a strategy focused on targeting local residents in the mine’s surrounding areas, and are included as part of the mining company’s continued growth and development, especially in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.
He outlined that since commencement of operations, the mine has grown a labour force that boasts approximately three-quarters of the entire staff roster.
“With the coming of Lumwana Mining Company in the province it has in a way reduced the levels of youth unemployment in the country. Lumwana Mine has close to 1,700 employees, and 70 percent of those employees are from the local area, meaning employment within the local area of the chiefdoms,” Mukala told journalists on the sidelines of the 2018 Zambia-Canada CSR Forum in Ndola this week.
“And if you look through that 70 percent, I would say close to 60 percent of those employees are youths. So, in a way, we are beginning to change that perspective. Our approach to CSR is more of a grassroots approach were we partner with local people on the ground.”
He highlighted Lumwana Radiants Football Club, plying their trade in the Zambian Premier League, as a demonstration of the mine’s successful CSR policy in the sports sector.
“We mentioned the football team, talent! That is part of youth empowerment; it’s not just formal employment in the office. We are also steering other initiatives, giving them [youth] skills,” Mr Mukala added.
He explained that Lumwana Mine’s intervention helped to change the face of the rural district from a time when the area had no infrastructure and a massive skills gap.
“In terms of education, we didn’t have anyone from the local area skilled to be an engineer, for example, those high-class types of jobs in the mine. Today, as we speak, I can assure you, if you came to Lumwana, you will find local suppliers supplying vegetables, different forms of agro products to the canteen from the local area,” said Mr Mukala.
“We also have local contractors now who are able to get contracts from the mine and are working with the mining operation.”
The one-day local mining “indaba”, held under the theme: “Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development,” showcased several mining companies’ CSR programmes that had an impact in uplifting the lives of the people living in the communities where they operate.