LUBUSHA LAUNCHES CHIPANGALI ROAD WORKS
Zambian-owned logistics firm, Quattro Company, has become the latest local business to benefit from the increase in productivity at First Quantum Minerals
PATRIOTIC Front 2021 aspiring candidate for Chipangali constituency Andrew Lubusha has launched the groundbreaking ceremony of a 54Km Mugubudu via Mafuta to Chinunda road in Chipangali constituency after calls from the traditional leaders.
Mr. Lubusha who is also PF Eastern Province Chairperson said the road and general infrastructural development has been President Edgar Chagwa Lungu's top agenda and he was merely doing his part.
He said this is why through the Andrew Z Lubusha Foundation, he decided to fund the construction of the road to complement what government was already doing.
"I'm happy to share the joy with residents of Chipangali because this marks the beginning of the new era of development and pragmatic leadership. We shall remain committed to the cause of development in all aspects of the social and economic wellbeing of Chipangali residents," said Mr Lubusha.
The Aspiring candidate urged the residents of Chipangali to give their full cooperation for the proper implementation of the road project bearing in mind that once completed the road will improve their own welfare.
GROWING
mining activity in North-Western Province has sparked increased demand for reliable and efficient transportation services.
Zambian-owned logistics firm, Quattro Company, has become the latest local business to benefit from the increase in productivity at First Quantum Minerals (FQM) Sentinel Mine in Kalumbila.
The company plays an important role in the mine’s smooth operation, running a fleet of buses to ensure miners arrive safely and on time for their shifts.
Quattro Operations Manager, Japhet Banda, said one of the most important objectives in every mine was maximising production which in turn led to higher revenue.
Mr Banda however said this could not be achieved if the workforce was crippled by a transportation system that prevented them from getting to their workstations on time.
He said Quattro’s partnership with FQM therefore had enabled the company to expand its operations, creating more employment opportunities for local communities. “Quattro wouldn’t be what is today without the support of large companies like FQM.
“We have grown to be one of the largest transporters in the local mining sector thanks to the partnerships we have cultivated with multinationals. As a result, we have been able to grow our fleet and employ more people,” Mr Banda said in a statement.
FQM Government Affairs Specialist, Godwin Beene, said the long-term economic growth potential in North-Western Province should not be viewed through the prism of mining alone.
Dr Beene said FQM’s presence had led to the emergence of new businesses and expansion of existing ones such as Quattro.
“First Quantum’s commitment to operationalise its local procurement policy to maximise the long-term secondary economic development in its area of operations creates a perfect synergy with other sector players, providing a multitude of opportunities for local businesses,” he said.
Dr Beene said Quattro was providing logistical services to FQM’s Kansanshi and Kalumbila mines.
FQM believes that when transport systems are safe and efficient, they create socio-economic opportunities that benefit the value chain through better access to markets, employment, and additional investments.
Over the last decade, North-Western Province has grown into the ‘new Copperbelt’, producing nearly 50percent of the country’s copper.
And by close of 2020, Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer had seen a 9.45 percent increase in copper output compared with 2019.
We have grown to be one of the largest transporters in the local mining sector thanks to the partnerships we have cultivated with multinationals. As a result, we have been able to grow our fleet and employ more people,” Mr Banda said in a statement.