Government has urged mining companies in the country to continue nurturing the emerging local entrepreneurs who it says help in reducing production costs.
And Mopani Copper Mines says the financial turnaround in the mining sector has helped its increased sizeable contribution to the community.
Mines and Minerals minister Maxwell Mwale says following the liberalization of the economy, most members of the general public are at liberty to engage in meaningful business related to mining industry, among others.
Mr Mwale said this during the Copperbelt mining agriculture and commercial show ( CMAC ) luncheon hosted for him by Mopani copper mines held at jubilee lodge in Kitwe’s show grounds. This year’s theme is : 2011 ‘prosperity on the Copperbelt’.
‘I thank the management of our mining industry for supporting our local business community. I implore you to continue to nurture this emerging force of entrepreneurs whose role you must insist, must be to help to you to cut down on cost of production,’ he said.
He urged the emerging business community to diversify their businesses so that it is able to survive in an event of a global crisis and continue to run their business beyond the life of the mines.
Mr Mwale said the fruits of the growing mining industry must be seen in the increased employment levels among our graduates.
He said the sharpening of technical and administrative skills must match those found in operations with the best practices anywhere in the mining world.
” I urge the CEOs to collaborate through the chamber of mines to take action immediately to close the skills gap that has emerged following a change of training policy after privatization in 2000.
” Create room in your operations for our school leavers to train from apprenticeship to mangers and executives so that they are fully equipped with requisites skills to competently run your operations,|” he stated.
Mr Mwale said government is developing a multi economic facility zone on the Copperbelt and advised the Zambian business community to cease the opportunity to establish themselves.
He noted that the supply, construction and financial services in Kitwe have become much stronger than was the case at the time of privatization in 2000 considering the uncertainties brought about by the decline in the performance of copper mining industry.
And Mopani chief executive officer Emmanuel Mutati said the financial turn-around in the mining sector has enabled the company to increase its already sizeable contribution to the community.
Mr Mutati said his company has taken advantage of the current good metal prices to expand on production capacity by investing in new projects that will increase not only production levels but also extend the life of the mines.
He said people have started seeing the prosperity on the Copperbelt which is the theme for the show and hoped that it will stand in good stead as the country moves forward.
He also said the work on the Kitwe bypass road has commenced and the planned road rehabilitation works in Kitwe.
On the Sabina Mufulira road, Mr Mutati said mopani will spend K10.5 billion on road works which are expected to be completed within 12 months.
ZANIS
This company is run by crooks. Glencore is a pariah and must be punished for polluting our Mufulira.
Glencore and Mopani are nothing more than crooks. Maxwell Mwale dines with them. Situmbeko fails to impose reasonable mineral royalties tax and says windfall tax was a grave mistake. The only grave I see is the one you’ll be digging for yourself after elections you little piece of di/ck/sh/it. Under the unwise and archaic Unipian rule of Rupia Bozo Bamba the Brontosaurus clown, we have seen the biggest man made excavations and more earth moved than the country has ever witnessed. All for a few dollars while the great masters, these avaricious in/vestor/vaders gulp your BILLIONS, while your citizens beg for jobs at their gates. This circus has been in town long enough, we are waiting for the grand finale you filthy, rotten ****s MMD bro/thel wh/ores
Ba Mwale ishibeni ukutila ba Grencore niba crook elyo balebwesha fye impiya batwibila.When there will be change of goverment we will probe mopani and ensure that they account for our stolen copper.
HAS C.E.E.P OFFICIALLY FAILED? Â HAS MMD DRAINED ALL THE FUNDS ALREADY WITHOUT CREATING ANYTHING
Mr Chibs / NO Way Reloaded:
Tell me when you start arresting the investors youn hate so much and start putting them through kangaroo courts what do you think will happen to this country. I suppose you are to dull to know that this country is currently growing at 7% of GDP and will be hosting the biggest AGOA investment forum ever. Don’t destroy our country you morons.
These adulterous hugs are a confirmation of allegations made that MMD and RB receives money from these investors leaving ordinary employees exposed and defenceless.
These adulterous hugs in the picture are a confirmation of allegations made that MMD and RB receives money from these investors leaving ordinary employees exposed and defenceless.
# 5..i agree with you but pliz never mind these dull myopic PF cadres who have no basic understanding of economic growth and how zambias economy is performing in fostering developmnt. Iam so perplexed with number 2-RELOADED comments ON this blog,all his comments r so negative without platform n u call yourself to be popular? no wonder his president his popular of negativity..Let me lecture him,beeing popular does not mean u shud always b negative but u shud say somethn which ll inspire the mass and mke sense. Zambia is at the verge of emerging as the fastest growing economy in the world and this is not only cz of copper production but coupled wth good governance,high level of FDI,increase in agric production the list is endless..so in this case whts wrong when govt encourages entreprenurs?
imwe ba ngewele ba mmd
Good morning
So who are these “emerging force of local entrepreneurs” Mr. Mwale is talking about?
A while ago, I talked to a Zambian student here in Germany and he explained to me that the investment costs and demands being made on the mining industry are so high that it is very difficult for local enterpreneurs to engage in meaningful business related to mining.
Unless there are huge stimulus packages and other incentives being offered to the public, I don’t see how ordinary Zambians will be able to invest, let alone keep up with the international pace. As things stand, I’m afraid it makes more sense to form alliances with transnational companies like Glencore that can complement our own strength than trying to take on the challenges alone.
If you can’t beat them…
Kataya advised future govts to nationalise copper and gemstone mining in new book of vision for zambia. It maybe only option