COPPERBELT IS SLOWLY BECOMING A GHOST PROVINCE
….due to low productivity in the mining sector hence the need to unlock KCM, says Clergyman
Kitwe… Friday March 8, 2024 (SMART EAGLES)
Copperbelt is slowly becoming a ghost province due to low productivity levels in the mining sector hence the need to quickly unlock Konkola Copper Mines Plc, says a Kitwe based clergyman.
Pastor Charles Chilenshya of Christ my Life Ministries, says a lot of people are expecting that before 1st April this year, Vedanta Resources would have taken over the full operations of KCM.
Pastor Chilenshya indicated that poverty levels on the Copperbelt are on the increase and that it is imperative that the asset is quickly given back to the investor, Vedanta.
He states that Vedanta has already committed to dismantle the arreas owed to contractors and suppliers by KCM saying lots of jobs are at stake due to huge monies owed to them as they fail to pay their workers.
“The people of the Copperbelt are grappling with many issues due to the non functionality of KCM. We know Mopani Copper Mines also has to be unlocked but Vedanta Resources has been unveiled as the one to run KCM. So far, they have injected over US$25 million to pay salaries and other issues before they even take full control of the asset. But we know that contractors and suppliers have not been given their money as the issues still remains unsolved. The contractors and suppliers have families to support,” he said.
“The mining industry is next to government in terms of employment as they are the second largest employer. The workers can’t feed their families, can’t afford to pay rentals as this has resulted in most of them being on the streets.”
He was confident that as soon as Vedanta takes over full control of KCM, there will be increased economic activities on the Copperbelt and this will help a lot of people to start supporting their families.
Pastor Chilenshya also said once a lot of people have been employed, they will be able to contribute to the national treasury through taxes.
The Clergyman has since appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to expeditiously resolve the remaining legal issue so that KCM would start full operations.
You can never build a resilient economy by simply digging stuff out of the ground and selling to secondary industries based thousands of kilometres away in different parts of the globe. As the base of the mining industry and also of Zambia’s oldest business school @ Copperbelt University, the Copperbelt should have been leading the country in business start-ups with its alumni from the nearby school. Instead, the Copperbelt is just like other parts of the country. This is sad, very sad. Dons at the Copperbelt University and their graduate students should be permanent guests at parliament as managers of state-owned enterprises are appearing before the Parliamentary Parastatal Bodies Committee. They should be analysing the published accounts and providing informed commentary. I can say more on this issue but this is enough for today.
The heading does not tally well with the story, I thought Copperbelt is slowly becoming economically alive after the coming back of KCM and Mopani. How is it slowly becoming a ghost Province again?