CHIEFS INTERFERING IN MINING, SMALL-SCALE OPERATORS CRY

SOME traditional leaders are preventing miners from accessing areas given to them by Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development, Small Scale Miners Association of Zambia has complained.

As a result, this is affecting progress in developing the small-scale mines.

Association president Kunda Chani said the situation was devastating because a number of mining projects had stalled.

Mr Chani said in some areas chiefs and headmen were stopping legal owners of mining areas to operate, thereby encouraging illegal activities.

He said in an interview yesterday that some mining areas had been invaded by illegal miners with the support of the traditional leaders.

Mr Chani said such development was unacceptable and called urgent intervention from the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development.

"These are the things which are mainly affecting the growth of the sector because no development is being done by miners as required by the law.

When Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development issues a mining right to miners they expect them to start operations according to the law. When nothing is done in the mining area then they have right to revoke the licence.

Mr Chani said Government explaine to traditional leaders that their role in mining sector was only to give consent and they were not supposed to stop miners to operate. “With this kind behaviour from our traditional leaders which we respect, how can development take place in this mining area? I am calling on the Ministry to ensure that they take keen interest in such matters because they affect the economy," he said.

He added: "The sector can only develop significantly when the miners have support from Government as well as traditional leaders.”