Minister of Mines Richard Musukwa has called for mining companies to cooperate with government as it introduces the new mining tax regime.
Mr. Musukwa stressed that Government will not entertain the sacrifice of Zambians through job cuts due to the new mine tax regime.
Speaking when he featured on ZNBC’s Kwacha Good morning Zambia Programme, Mr Musukwa said that Government is trying to ensure that Zambians get maximum benefits from the natural resource.
He said that it is the role of Government to ensure that the mines are not taxed out of business, but that the sector is promoted and attract more investment.
And Mines Tax Expert, Wezzy Banda said that it is justified for government to introduce a new mining tax regime.
Mr. Banda said that mine companies must understand that it is important for the tax regime to satisfy the interest of government.
Mining companies are businesses. They don’t come to do cibwenzi with the host Governments, they come to make money, man!
You can’t just come and cheeply dig massive holes in the gut’s of this great nation to exploit our natural resources for peanuts.
What if the owners of the land either do not know what is under their feet or they are just plain Stup!d? Give them a Bible and send them to church then get on with business! The ‘trickier’ ones like Lungu and their inner circles of PF give them brown envelopes!
“Magufuli has sent shock-waves through the mining community in Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer since his election late in 2015 with a series of actions he says are aimed at ensuring that mining companies pay a fair share of taxes.
The government has accused Acacia Mining, the country’s biggest gold miner, of evading taxes worth billions of dollars by under-declaring export volume and value of its minerals.”
Local companies get shut down for anything ranging from evading taxes worth, under-declaring export volume and value of its minerals.
Why don’t they just walk away instead of threats of redunces? Answer is that they make real money. I’ll be glad if the Chamber of Mines gave us figures on the cost mining and producing a tonne of copper. But they won’t and they know that government is too lazy to work out this cost. People like Mooya Lumamba an official in the ministry of Mines worked at Nkana both in the Planning and Productions sections must come and make a full statement.
The honeymoon is over between PF and the Mines. The government is realising that imposing more tax on the masses will decampaign them as we are getting closer to the General elections. Talk of teaching an old dog new tricks. Let the Mines operate on economic principles, it is just the effect of high production costs. Remember the country lost out millions of Cast when PF intervened in an issue where a certain mine was found wanting by an international Court. God knows who benefited privately from that gesture.
Fya mbulocker Fusekeni mwe! I am only helping. Akuculeni!
Just 10 years ago mining royalty was 0.6% and Mwanawasa was worshipped as a good leader for encouraging investment. Take it easy, find a reasonable level and all will profit, is it so difficult? Raising taxes will increase avoidance if nothing else, already some mines simply avoid by some ways…
It’s all bad relations with this sector. Please NATIONALISE, and send them home.
Musukwa just stick to jerabos. This is beyond you.
It’s beyond you too? If you’re that intelligent give us a break of the cost of producing a ton of compared to the selling price. I bet you won’t because you’re just jumping on a bandwagon whose direction you don’t know. These companies have been known to cheat governments wherever they operate. Peru, Chile,Tanzania and even confused Kabilas DRC saw this and took or are taking steps to ensure their countries benefit.
I watched the morning live programe on ZNBC this morning and l wish to say Mr Musukwa did come out very well. I hope you do not backtrack on what you said this morning on TV.
The real solution to protecting those jobs and also to get a fair share in the mines is by Government getting 51% shares on behalf of the Zambian people.
Infact advertise for new partners who are willing to go in with us on 51%-49% bases they are plenty out there waiting for such an opportunity .
Exactly. These people have got minerals in countries where they come from but they choose to come to Africa. ..why? It’s because they can get away with anything. In their countries tax evasion is a jailable offense and in China one can even be sentenced to death. Here they’re able to enter into corrupt leaders or well connected individuals.