Draft bill on minerals cheers EAZ
THE proposed drafting of a bill to compel mining houses to add value to minerals is the way to go, says Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) president Crispin Mphuka.
Commenting on Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma’s disclosure that Government had begun drafting a bill that would compel mining houses to add value to mineral extracts, Dr Mphuka said it was a step in the right direction.
The development would have a positive impact on the country’s economy, he added.
Dr Mphuka said EAZ welcomed the initiative to take deliberate action to have processed or semi processed mining products as issues of value addition to products was central to economic development.
He said parliament should debate the bill extensively as there were so many factors that came into play for the initiative to be successful.
Dr Mphuka said institutions like ZAMEFA should be encouraged and supported if value addition to minerals was to be encouraged countrywide.
He said prices of exporting raw minerals were frustrating as they disadvantaged government therefore exportation of semi processed or processed minerals was a good way of ensuring that Zambians benefited from mineral resources.
“This is a step in the right direction and we as an association have always advocated for value addition as a means of selling our products at beneficial prices, and we must realise that value addition also creates jobs for locals so indeed this is a welcome move,” Dr Mphuka said.