COPPERBELT IS IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
…. due to non effective operations of KCM and Mopani says local NGO
Lusaka…. Monday April 3, 2023
Advocates for National Development and Democracy Executive Director Samuel Banda says the non-effective operations of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines has put the Copperbelt into economic incapacitation.
He has noted with concern, that government has not moved in with the sense of urgency in making sure that operational challenges of two mines are amicably dealt with.
Mr Banda who has described the two mines as being in ‘intensive care unit’, has emphasized the need to bring on board viable mining investors that will quickly get to work interms of increasing copper production, in order not only to restore the socio-economic status of the Copperbelt, but to enhace the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and to stabilise the free falling Kwacha against the US Dollar.
He says Vedanta for example, should immediately take over KCM operations in order to empower workers and businessmen, while they also fufil their pledge to invest into human development in various sectors such as health, sports, education, water and sanitation, among others.
“We know and have analysed what Vedanta has put on the table such as the pledged $20 Million into the coporate social responsibility programmes, the 20% salary increment, plus other progressive pledges, which requires that they are given the opportunity to fufil for the sake of promoting national development,” he said.
He said Government should be transparent in handling this issue, and should adhere to their assurance that they would hand over KCM to Vedanta in the first quarter of the year.
“We were told that this issue will be dealt with in the first quarter of 2023. We are now in April and we want to have this issue expedited without any further delay,” he said.
Mr Banda has therefore urged the New Dawn Administration to move in quickly and ensure that Vedanta who are the legal owners of KCM takes over the mine in order to restore sanity in the country’s mining sector.
Ends