MONITORING OF ACTIVITIES IN MINING SECTOR

Dear Editor, THE nation has heard so much about illegal mining activities in the country, some have even resulted in fatal accidents. Then there are those companies that have been undertaking explorations for years on end, with no results.

Zambia is in the process of diversifying the economy from copper mining to an agriculture oriented one. While, this maybe the case, it is important for the State to monitor happenings in the mining sector where the country is losing colossal sums of money due to illegal mining.

This money if properly harnessed could help the economy to grow but unfortunately it only ends up in pockets of foreigners who have capitalised on the loopholes as no tax is collected from these illicit operations.

One wonders why all these years this state of affairs has been allowed to happen. There was even a time when our emeralds attracted an influx of foreigners from other African countries, while we Zambians looked on as they “plundered” our resources.

I urge the government to tighten all loopholes to control illegal mining activities. It is pointless to cry over the lack of funds when so much money can be made from our natural resources if harnessed properly. Let government play a greater role in the mining sectors as opposed to just leaving everything to foreign firms to control our resources.

V. GONDWE, Lusaka.