The government has handed-over gold mining equipment worth 1.3 million Kwacha to three cooperatives aimed at scaling up gold production levels in three districts of the Eastern province.
And Ministry of Mines Permanent Secretary Barnaby Mulenga says the government is cognizant of the cooperative model’s potential in contributing to poverty alleviation and job creation.
Mr. Mulenga says government will endeavour to support cooperatives in their growth.
Speaking during the handover ceremony in Lusaka today, Mr. Mulenga said the equipment will enhance the productivity of cooperatives in Rufunsa, Vubwi and Lundazi which have been targeted for now.
He also revealed that the Ministry of Mines will soon start issuing new gold mining licenses which had been cancelled in the three districts because of being inactive.
And Ministry of Commerce Permanent Secretary Mushuma Mulenga said the equipment will be key in helping formal mining of gold in the targeted districts.
He said government had assigned ZCCM Investment Holdings to secure the equipment and maintain it.
Mr. Mulenga emphasised the need for equitable access to the equipment by cooperatives.
And ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer Mabvuto Chipata said the acquisition of equipment with support of the SADC Trade Related Facility reflects government’s commitment in supporting growth of artisanal miners.
He noted that lack of equipment has remained a challenge hence believes the move to empower the cooperatives with equipment will go a long way in their operations.
And representative of the cooperatives in Rufunsa Josias Malunga, who is Chintimbwi Ward councillor said the beneficiaries are greatful to government and pledged to work with ZCCM -IH as they are eager to uplift their lives through the project.
“He said government had assigned ZCCM Investment Holdings to secure the equipment and maintain it.”
You hand machinery to a group of people mining precious minerals and you ask someone else to maintain it …where is the sense of responsibility?? No wonder the country is a mess.
Tarino OrangeÂ
That is why they don’t want to trainup the locals in running these mines…..they want to use them as cheap labour while the con men from PF with their brief cases buy up the gold.
Train the locals to maintain and run small scale mines.
This is a good start and hopefully, these cooperatives also have the manpower and know-how needed to operate the equipment professionally. It would be sad to discover that they have failed to harness this “golden opportunity” in the true sense of the word.
Has title to this equipment passed from government to the cooperatives? Hw does this government function? Wht then is the point of the money the cooperatives will be making from gold sales? Why do we keep repeating the same basic mistakes? If other cooperatives won’t receive such gifts from government, this will qualify as pure favouritism of certain regions.
Even I’m starting a Pan Handlers co-op. Gold gold everywhere!
Has this support been approved by the newly-created Public Investment Commission?
Nemwine – these are their own cadres masquerading as a cooperative…these have seen how lucrative gold is in NW so now they’re thirsty for more.
This is total madness and rubbish, how can the government promote such type of investments!? We have rotten people in the government. Gold is not mukula tree or logs, this is a precious metal which we are talking about it is not a cheap metal to be handled by cooperatives or community based organizations. We have to find a serious investor whom we can say the Zambian government 55% and private investor 45%. The reason why i call this Edgar Lungu mad not suitable to be the Head of state. Bally will fix it anyway. PF must go!
Here we are again. Even when government does what some evil diasporans were hoping for us to do, they will still criticize. I firmly believe diasporans like tarino suffer from bi polar. There is no pleasing these hyenas. Mean while we will continue with our developmental programs. Muza kamba muzalema
KZ, these opposition types have no agenda for Zambia. They believe only they can save this country, it’s their way or nothing. Continue with what you doing, you are in charge and have the people’s aspirations at heart. Those wizards will not be in charge anytime soon, maybe 2086….
This gold is not in safehands. I wonder who is benefitting from all the confusion.
Tekanyani, While i support the initiative of cooperatives(which is what Zambia is built on), i still differ with the Government that is propagating this initiative,as all the minerals will end up in the Dictators arms( As always is the case with precious stones). No Dictator on this planet would want the stones to benefit its people,accept himself. So, this is a trap, he wants to collect all the Gold from around the country all the way to State House. At the end of the day, members of these cooperatives we still be wearing patched pants and pushing Wheelbarrows to/from the mines. People will start killing each other too.So many Dictators used this method “Mobutu Seseko, Yoweri Mseveni, Paul Kagame, Robert Mugabe” etc.
I don’t think coperatives can work with gold.
Badala , this is a precious metal , not maize cobs.
GRZ should invest in groups of individuals , majority from the area, train them to run small scale gold mines and indoctrinate them on building Zambia..
In a few years we should have groups of experienced Zambian gold miners employing Zambians , and investing in Zambia. For Zambians.
The end game for GRZ should be 90% of profits from the gold should remain in Zambia.
We have tried every other way , and always end up with less than 30% of profits remaining in Zambia with all our other minerals. That is why we are getting nowhere.
We’re watching you ba mambala imwe, just because you decide to do one right thing does not exonarate you from the many scandals youve subjected this country to. Your time is surely coming
Why has not the same been to the people in Mwinilunga? Chiefs in Mwinilunga and their should demand the same to be done for them. Why giving the mining in Mwinilunga to ZCCM-HI?
I think the wisest to do for now to secure the Gold is for the Government to run it and then sale some shares at a letter stage so that we have a point of reference. This is a new thing from mining and processing Copper to Gold.
meant later stage