‘CATEGORISE JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS IN MINES’

THE

Mines and Mineral Developments Act must be refined so that it clearly states the kind of contracts, products and jobs which should be given to Zambians, Association of Mines Suppliers and Contractors (AMSC) President Augustine Mubanga has suggested.

Mr Mubanga said that Government should consider refining Article 20 of the Mines and Mineral Development Act number 11 of 2015 which talks about the preference for Zambian products, contractors, suppliers and employment of Zambian citizens.

He said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that Article 20 needed to clearly state and categorize a number of issues which had not been stated regarding Zambian and foreign investors.

Article 20 of the Mines and Mineral Developments Act number 11 of 2015 states that a holder of a mining right or mineral processing license shall, in the conduct of mining operations or mineral act processing operations and in the purchase , construction , installation and decommissioning of facilities, give preference to the materials and products made in Zambia.

A holder of a mining right or mineral processing license shall, in the course of operations-(a) give preference in employment to citizens with relevant qualifications or skills, and; conduct training programmes for the transfer of technical and managerial skills to Zambians.

Mr Mubanga observed that the Act was vague and that it was imperative that it clearly stated the kind of contracts, products and jobs which — Mr Mubanga. should be given to Zambians.

He said his association was happy that the Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe had hinted on taking the Act to Parliament so that it could be refined.

"In its current form, the Act does not state what jobs, products and services should be done by Zambians. This is why you find foreigners doing jobs and supplying products that can be supplied by local suppliers and contractors,'' Mr Mubanga said.

Mr Mubanga said government should put up necessary regulations and structures that would help enforce the law and ensure that Zambians were empowered from the mineral resources.

He said the necessary regulations should define in explicit terms the partnership between Zambians and foreigners and to what extent should go.

"There is need to ring fence the opportunities of Zambians in the mining sector and other sectors of the economy. If mining companies are saying they are spending 80 per cent on local products, we should know 80 per cent against what figure. We should know the figure in terms of procurement plan,'' he said.

There is need to ring fence the opportunities of Zambians in the mining sector and other sectors of the economy. If mining companies are saying they are spending 80 per cent on local products, we should know 80 per cent against what figure. We should know the figure in terms of procurement plan.”