By Michael Kaluba in Kitwe
Revelations that Mopani copper mines has been paying Zambian contractors almost half of what the mining company pays foreign contractors for the same scope work has irked finance minister Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu.
Dr. Ng’andu during a meeting with the Kitwe Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industry, the Association of mine suppliers and contractors and captains of industry in Kitwe on day 2 of the high level interrogation of challenges in the mining sector, says he has by way of a quick summary of submissions by stakeholders at the meeting, established that Zambian contractors are treated unfairly in comparison to their foreign counterparts.
Dr Ng’andu has wondered why Mopani has continued complaining about its cost structure when the mine is spending twice as much paying foreign contractors when Zambian contractors can deliver for less.
And Association of Mine Suppliers and Contractors –president, Augustine Mubanga has accused Mopani copper mines of misleading the nation over its operational costs and says there is need for Zambia’s mining regime to restrict Mopani copper mines supply chain to local companies.
At the same event, Kitwe Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industry President Anthony Kabaghe said it will be unsustainable for contractors to regroup and commence operations at Mopani only to demobilize at the end of July arguing that mining operations must be sustained beyond the 90 days for local companies to make money.
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