Mopani to engage suppliers, contractors
MOPANI Copper Mine (MCM) and Mines Suppliers and Contractors Association of Zambia officials will next week meet for talks on the engagement of local contractors and suppliers. This follows revelations recently that the mining giant had neglected all the locals and continued to outsource. Association president Augustine Mubanga told the Daily Nation yesterday, Mopani had now agreed to meet and iron out the matter. He said that Mopani had resolved to address the matter with the association on Wednesday next week. Recently, Minister of Mines and Mineral Development Richard Musukwa urged Mopani to engage locals and stop outsourcing. He said he was aware that the contracts restructuring was meant for the company to be profitable but as that was happening Mopani must seen to it that Zambian contractors get a fair share of the contracts. Mr Musukwa said Government would not sit idle to see the mining giant to leave out local contractors and supplier and engage foreigners. “In as much as you are restructuring, which is a good move which the Government appreciate but we expect the mine to ensure that the local contractors and suppliers are awarded contracts. We shall not allow as Government Mopani to leave out our locals,” Mr Musukwa said. And Mr Mubanga said the mining company had now engaged the association to address the matter at hard. He said the nation would be informed on the outcome of the discussions between the association and mining giant. “We are meeting next week on Wednesday that is when they will give us an update on whether they have now resolved to engage the local contractors and suppliers. So we shall inform the nation on the outcome of this this meeting which has been arranged by Mopani,” Mr Mubanga said.