495 emerald licences dormant

ABOUT 495 mineral rights for emeralds issued by government in Lufwanyama district are dormant and negatively affecting the growth of the sector, Emeralds Association of Zambia president Victor Kalesha has said.

Mr Kalesha said from the 500 mineral rights which Government issued, only five mineral rights in Lufwanyama district were operational.

He said the development was saddening because the country was losing revenue and that the industry could not grow if a bigger number of mineral rights were dormant.

Mr Kalesha, who is also Lufwanyama Constituency Patriotic Front (PF) aspiring candidate, said the sector could create a number of jobs if well harnessed unlike the current situation.

“Out of over 500 mineral rights in Lufwanyama, five are fully operational and this trend we wish to address if given a platform because we understand the industry and how it can provide job opportunities to the many unemployed youths in Lufwanyama.

Our six chiefs in Lufwanyama need to start benefiting from the mineral sharing mechanism which we need to lobby Government to implement. I believe the mineral sharing mechanism will bring a lot of development to the six chiefs if well handled,” he said.

Mr Kalesha said that the dormant mineral rights should be operational, thereby attract companies that would add value to the mineral which was critical to the economic growth of the country.