ZAMBIA ‘BLEEDS’ GOLD
Mr Mwanza said it was sad that a country that was abundantly blessed with resources could enter into continued economic meltdown when foreign states were using its resources to recover.
“We are watching foreigners get our resources, our gold and other minerals which they are using to recover their own economies while we continue suffering,” he said in an interview.
Mr Mwanza said calls to create a marshall plan for gold mining and how it could meaningfully benefit locals should be taken seriously.
And government says it is dismayed with exploitation of small-scale miners by foreigners who are buying gold at as low as K250 per gram when the commodity can fetch as much as K1, 000 per gram.
Mines and Mineral Development Minister, Richard Musukwa, said that foreigners had invaded the gold areas where small- scale miners were operating and were offering K250 per gram.
Mr Musukwa said the miners should not be swayed with such a low rate because they were being exploited by the foreigners.
He said in an interview that it was prudent that all miners sold gold to ZCCM-IH which was offering K1, 000 per gram.
“This morning ( Wednesday) I was actually firefighting where they are selling per gram K250, ZCCM-IH is buying at K1, 000 per gram.
“So our people must ensure that at all times that they sell to legitimate entities such as ZCCM-IH which is buying at the agreed market price and make sure that our people have value for their products,” he said.
The minister however said Government had deployed security officers in the Eastern Province to flush out foreigners who were illegally exploiting gold.
“The resource need to benefit the local people and not foreigners who are involved in smuggling especially from the neighbouring countries,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said Government had placed a higher premium on gold mining in ensuring that Zambians exploited the resource.