Lack of continuity has robbed Zambia of mining benefits - Sinkamba

INCONSISTENCIES in mining policy framework has robbed the country of the benefits that it could get from its rich mineral wealth, Green Party president, Peter Sinkamba has said.

In an interview, Mr. Sinkam ba said that the lack of conti nuity that comes with change of government has led to the existing confusion in the min ing sector.

He was commenting on the recent revelations by the Minister of Mines, Mr Paul Ka buswe that gold mining explo ration companies were illegal ly mining and that some were exporting raw manganese among other issues.

Mr. Sinkamba observed that the mining sector has lagged behind because of lack of pol icy direction that results from lack of consideration for stra tegic directions that the previ ous governments were undertaking.

He cited the Africa Min ing Vision (AMV) policy framework which was for mally established by the Af rican Union in 2009 as one framework that has never been domesticated since the framework and requi site templates were handed over to Zambia among other countries.

He said that Zambia was part of this framework which was initiated through the AU team that he and some other Zambians were a part of.

Mr. Sinkamba disclosed that the AMV was formal ly established to promote equitable, broad-based de velopment through the prudent utilisation of the conti nent’s natural wealth.

He therefore wondered why Zambia had not yet im plemented such a promising strategic framework.

He lamented that Zambia has never implemented the policy since the time of the late President Levy Mwana wasa and that this can be blamed on the lack of con sultation and continuity by successive governments.

He said that unless the narrative changes, Zambia shall continue to lose out on the benefits that would ac crue in the mining sector.

Mr. Sinkamba said that it was not surprising to note that some mining exploration companies were mining gold with impunity. He said that this cannot be stopped without a clear policy frame work. Mr. Sinkamba said it would not be wrong to spec ulate that some companies were exporting gold and manganese and labeling it as copper ore.

He said that these loop holes can only be sealed when the country has a clear policy framework on mining.

He advised the govern ment to stop firefighting and get to the root of the prob lem. He appealed to the gov ernment to call for a mining “indaba” that would help to chart the way forward.