EMBRACE LOCAL MINE OWNERSHIP INITIATIVE

THEgovernment should continue with the agenda to increase local ownership and management of the mines, stakeholders have said.

The stakeholders have called on the state to engage all key stakeholders to discuss ways of increasing local participation and ownership in the mining industry.

National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) president, James Chansa, said the government should consult extensively through stakeholder engagement to ensure successful implementation of its pronouncement.

Mr Chansa said in an interview that in the past key stakeholders had been left out in the decision-making process

“The pronouncement by the new government that it would ensure increased local participation and ownership in the mining sector is progressive but they should ensure that all key stakeholders are engaged,” he said.

A mining expert, George Bwalya, said having 100 percent ownership of the mining industry once implemented would grow the economy as the country would be able to maximize revenue base.

Mr. Bwalya said in an interview that the internalizing revenue from the country’s mineral resource through ownership of the mines was long overdue.

Another mining expert, Mr Edward Simukonda, commended government for wanting to empower Zambians through local participation and ownership of the mining industry.

Mr Simukonda in an interview described the move as brilliant and called on Zambians to support the initiative.

“It’s a brilliant move as most of the money will not be internalized once Zambians are empowered in the mining sector,” he said.