GOVT BACKS ZCCM-IH

… Insists company capable of running Mopani

WE

can run the mine if Glencore leaves, Government has said. However, National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili has rejected the move claiming it would not work because political interference would be the order of the day.

Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development Permanent Secretary Banarby Mulenga said yesterday, government, through ZCCM-IH has capacity to run Mopani Copper Mines ( MCM) if Glencore leaves.

“The operations will be run smoothly,” he said.

Mr Mulenga said even if Glencore was to pull out today, the mining firm would continue operating because the country had people with mining expertise.

Mr Mulenga said in an interview yesterday, Government would not be worried if Mopani pulled out today.

He was reacting to sentiments by National Union for Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) that the acceptance by Glencore to allow ZCCM-IH to get majority shares was an indication that it wanted to pull out.

NUMAW president James Chansa said in a separate interview yesterday that it was evident that Glencore was on the verge of pulling out because of its behaviour towards operations of the mine which it had planned to put on care and maintenance.

He said it was prudent that Glencore came out openly by informing Government that it had failed to manage the mining firm.

But Mr Mulenga said Government would not panic even if Mopani left because there were qualified Zambian engineers to handle operations.

He said this would not be the first time a mining firm would be managed by the locals.

Mr Mulenga said "Zambians have managed the mines before these investors came in the country. We have experienced engineers who were trained by ZCCM-IH sometime back. Some are even working abroad, these are the ones who will manage the mine."