800 mine licences revoked
OVER 800 dormant mining licences have been cancelled, Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development Permanent Secretary Barnaby Mulenga has said.
And Mr. Mulenga said government was also on the verge of cancelling about 874 licences in next 30 days if holders do not exculpate themselves.
He disclosed that the ministry cancelled 274 large scale exploration licences, 240 small scale exploration licences, 195 small scale mining licences, 96 artisan mining rights and 12 large scale mining licences totaling 817 licences.
The permanent secretary said in an exclusive interview yesterday that government was not canceling the licences without viable reasons but was doing so in order to engage people who were eager to exploit minerals.
“We are not just grabbing these licences for the sake of grabbing. You realise that this is the wealth for this country. So when people hold these licences for speculating purposes who does it help, it does not help anybody,” he said.
He said it was better people who did not have capacity to develop mines gave way to those with the ability.
“It is good for us to encourage people to own these licences but on the other hand we want to emphasise to them that if you don’t want to develop we shall grab them from you and give other Zambians who will make use of them,” Mr. Mulenga has said.
Licence holders, he said, should make use of the licences so the country could benefit through taxes.
He said the licences were not for decorations and that those inactive would be revoked.
And Mr. Mulenga has said about 874 licences were on the verge of being cancelled.
He said 776 large scale exploration licences, 44 small scale mining licences, 42 small scale exploration licences and 22 licences were expected to be cancelled in next 30 days.
He said the ministry had since informed the licence holders and they were expected to give proper reasons to the Minister of Mines and Mineral Development Richard Musukwa why their licences should not be cancelled.
It is good for us to encourage people to own these licences but on the other hand we want to emphasise to them that if you don’t want to develop we shall grab them from you and give other Zambians who will make use of them.