KAGEM INVESTS US$80,000 IN LUFWANYAMA ROAD REHAB

KAGEM Mining says it has invested around US$80,000 in the rehabilitation of the 18.7km road connecting Chief Nkana and Chief Lumpuma’s chiefdoms from Kandole to Kafwaya village in Lufwanyama district. Kagem acting general man

ager Sanjeev Kumar said the new road had improved the transportation of goods to market, made it easier for pupils and teachers to get to school, and improved mobility for people in the communities by cutting travel time by half. Mr. Kumar said with the road impassable, the mining company moved in to provide manpower and equipment, including excavators, graders, and tipper trucks, as well as laterite, during the three months of the works. He pledged the company’s commitment to ensuring that the community continued to benefit positively from its presence in the area through its various sustainability programmes focused on alleviating poverty and aligned with government policies and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vision 2030. “Our goal is to operate in a way that contributes positively to both the local and national economy where we operate. We want to create a legacy of developing and empowering our communities beyond the mine by continuing to build lasting, sustainable livelihoods,” Mr Kumar said. He said other than the routine road grading and maintenance, Kagem has spent more than US$2 million on community projects, including provision of a Zesco powerline, new buildings at Chapula Basic School, teachers’ accommodation at Kapila Community School, improvements to Chief Nkana and Chief Lumpuma’s palaces, the Nkana Health Centre, and the ‘Blessings’ and ‘Green Farm’ projects. The road has was officially commissioned recently by Lufwanyama district commissioner Miniver Mutesa, who commended Kagem for the roadworks that have reduced transport costs.