President Hakainde Hichilema said that he is determined to deepen the involvement of local small scale miners in the country’s economic agenda.
President Hichilema further said that he wants the local small scale miners to be fully involved in the mining chain starting from the human capital to the supply chain of products.
President Hichilema said that small scale miners should be brought on board so that they can participate fully in the economic affairs.
President Hichilema said this through his Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya during a press briefing held at state house yesterday.
“The president has always been saying that it is not enough to say the mining sector is growing without involving the local people and these are the small scale miners”. Mr Bwalya said.
Mr. Bwalya stated that president Hichilema was recently in South Africa attending the Mining Indaba where he held talks and meetings with leading global investors in the mining sector which will see small scale miners also benefit.
He added that the fruits of the meeting was evidenced by the First Quantum Minerals who will invest about 1.25 billion United States Dollars in expanding the Kansanshi Copper Mines.
Mr. Bwalya added that in just less than a year that the new dawn administration has been in government, a number of investors have come on board to invest in the country in different sectors.
He noted that president Hichilema has also urged small scale miners to diversify into other minerals and not just copper production.
Mr. Bwalya further added that the president strongly believes that mining resources in the country must and should benefit the locals at all times.
He further explained that the Mining Indaba meeting that president Hichilema attended will bring in so many benefits in the sector such as job creation among others.
And President Hakainde Hichilema said that the government will pursue other financial options at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines on the Copperbelt in a bid to unlock the two assets.
Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya said the new administration is strongly determined to ensure that the two asserts are unlocked and brought to full optimization.
He said the new administration is not going to leave any stone unturned but will ensure that all options are explored.
Mr. Bwalya further stated that the two assets will be unlocked and brought to full production.
He added that once the two mines are unlocked, they will provide the jobs that the people of Zambia have been waiting for.
Mr. Bwalya further added that the two mines will also contribute greatly to the national treasury thereby raising the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.
