Central Province Permanent Secretary (PS), Chanda Kabwe, says the re-opening of Mkushi Copper Mine in Luano district will create 3000 jobs for the local people.
Mr. Kabwe said the mine will make significant contribution not only to the growth of the economy for the district and the province but to the country at large.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, Mr. Kabwe said the mine is currently operating at 40 per cent.
“Once the company starts operating at full capacity, over 3000 jobs will be created for the local people thereby, improving the livelihoods of the local people,” Mr. Kabwe said.
He added that there is need to support the investment that is coming to the district by opening the road network in the district.
Mr. Kabwe added that the mine will be hauling huge tones of equipment and copper hence, the need to quickly work on the road network.
The PS further revealed that the explorations for gold and other minerals are currently underway in Luano district.
He said the district has a lot of potential in many sectors of the economy hence, the need to support the economic activities currently going on in the area.
Mr. Kabwe also said government has signed contracts for the road works in Luano district and the contractor has already been identified.
He said the road works will start as soon as the Ministry of Finance provides funding towards the project.
“The contract for the road has already been signed and the contractor has been found. Once the Ministry of Finance releases money towards the project, works will start,” he said.
Mkushi Copper Mine was closed some time back after the investor abandoned it for unknown reasons and was reopened this year in January after a new investor, Shi Yan took over the operations of the company.
The company is currently rebuilding the facility and is expected to become fully operational in the first quarter of next year and has so far employed 300 people.
Great news, but work on mine taxation so the local people can benefit unlike only investors taking all the money and not paying enough taxes.
Stick that to HH Kabwata fyoto!
This is an old mine. It was abandoned in the early 1970s. I hope this re-opening will be for a while. The effect of Kaunda’s local language policies in early education and radio broadcasting on Zambian society are affecting nation-building . It is an area with many parallels in post-colonial, post-empire nation-building and has been researched on. There is lots of literature on it. I have yet to see a commentator on this site and the Zambian press who sounds informed on the issue though there are news stories from from around the world. Not even ECL sounds informed. How do you build a nation from different communities? Zambian solution it seems is by discriminating against some communities and banning their languages even in provinces they are indigenous.
I strongly suggest that ZCCM should take the project…..
Let’s develop this thing. It will be consumed with jealousy.
The figure of 3000 workers sounds FAR FETCHED IN THE ABSENCE OF PROJECTED PRODUCTION FIGURES!! Mines like many production sectors are highly mechanized so a mine that can employ 3000 workers much be a large scale mine,something I doubt under this mine bcoz we could have long heard that publicity!!
There’s what is known as direct and indirect jobs badala. “THAT ONE” has brainwashed you to be in negative mode always. Just try for once to think with an independent brain and you’ll realize how good it feels. “THAT ONE” has always misled alot from your region. Yes “THAT ONE” the fooolish “ONE”.
Am loving the new nickname. Please lets call him that one..kiki
I agree, 3000 jobs without projected production numbers is far-fetched. Direct or indirect jobs, we do not bring out such information without backing data. I would have felt more confident if the information was from the investor, not from political interests.
This figure sounds magic…3000 jobs on the mine????3000 jobs for Tourism………..
Oval head kwena you got what it takes …kikikikki man keeo yo up
ati “a contractor has already been identified” …… I hope its not a chinese….let qualified zambian engineers and other skilled citizens be offered such contracts!!!!!!!
Read it again. The contractor IS Chinese. Haven’t you seen the name?
OK. My bad! The investor IS Chinese but the contractor hasn’t been named. Oops.
not the Chinese again; Leave Mkushi for farming;
KK AC: This is an old mine please. It is not situated on farm land. If you have nothing to say, say nothing.
We as a Nation need to shift gear from “job creation” syndrome to entrepreneur creation. Why can’t Zambian entrepreneurs be supported to run the Mkushi Mine? Equally, ZCCM is still in existence why not run the project fully owned by ZCCM? That’s the only way we will develop our Nation. Private multimillionaire entities will never spend on infrastructure development in any meaningful way. We don’t seem learn from past and current experiences. Sad we still want the poverty-inducing Indians and Chinese to operate our mines. God bl
another chinese company …………………………………………………………………………………………….
Dig deeper,
there is a local entrepreneur behind the scenes.
Good thing mine has reopened.