For Immediate Release
23rd September 2020
ZCCM CANNOT RUN MOPANI SAYS KAMBWILI
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) party President Dr Chishimba Kambwili has advised mines minister Honourable Richard Musukwa not to mislead the country that ZCCM can run mopan copper mines.
The NDC leader further said that ZCCM has no capacity to do so.Glencoe is failing not because it has no capacity but lack of enough shareholdings.
What the mines need is to increase the shareholdings to enable all the people to benefit.
The operation at mopani need continuous funding although there is no profit. This is on an understanding that they will get profit late.
Dr Kambwili wondered where the ZCCM will get 40 or 60 million to run the mine when it failed to source 2.5 million for gold processing and had to engage the Sudanese investors.
He said what the government need to do is to find suitable mining house that has resource to invest in the mine now and expect the profit in future.
The NDC leader said alternatively, the government should sell share to citizens so that they too can share losses and profit.
Dr Kambwili wondered where the government will raise money from the capital market.
The mine industry in Zambia bring forex. When the mines fails, the local currency raises and this will be disastrous for the country.
The Chinese is not a good investment destination. The government should look for alternative mining countries like Chile, Brazile and other. Better still the government should renegotiate with Glencoe, its better than Chinese.
Chinese contractors will declare losses and it will be hard to raise again.
And for Luanshya Copper mine the people in Luanshya are suffering because of pollution. Standards are not being followed. The blasts are affecting the homes. The people are inhaling copper dust. The ministry of mines is not doing anything to stop the problem.
Dr Kambwili has advised government to relocate the people to safer places and rather let the Chinese build houses for the people of Roan and Mpatamatu in safer areas before they can continue mining near people’s homes.
Issued by: Chipoka Mulenga NDC Chairperson Incharge of Mines / NDC Vice Spokesperson