The opposition Patriotic Front, PF, on the Copperbelt Province wants government to increase funding to the Mines Safety Department, MSD, under the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development.
The challenge is from PF Chairman for Mines, Yamfwa Mukanga.
Mr. Mukanga, who is also Kantanshi Member of Parliament, MP, said the MSD must also
look at prospects of recruiting qualified Mining Inspectors if occupational accidents were to be avoided.
Mr. Mukanga said this in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services,
ZANIS, in Mufulira.
Mr. Mukanga’s comment comes in the awake of increased cases of mine accidents that
have rocked the Copperbelt Province with the latest incident being the Chambeshi Metals accident were four workers were burnt in a blast.
In support of the Chambeshi metal, which was earlier last week closed for two days after the fatality, the parliamentarian said the closure should serve as a lesson to mine owners who were complacent in effecting safety measures and standards.
He noted that qualified mining experts can only be attracted to the MSD if better perks and conditions of services were provided.
He said government should seriously address the aspect of salaries and wages for MSD
personnel.
Mr. Mukanga MSD should also consider opening up offices at district levels for the easier monitoring of mining firms.
ZANIS
This is a wise advise that all mining investors and govt should work to provide and inspect each firm before operarions that they meet the safety requirement.We can not put a price tag on life.
‘Akalimo bashikupele ichilambu lupi’ that’s what the MMD MPs are scared of from Levy, who has now resorted to firing any cadre who intends to perform without waiting for his directives. To my surprise, the same man is now complaining of govt workers and cadres not performing. This man of late has become a flip flop or may be he’s showing some symptoms of stroke, please am not wishing him bad luck but I wish him to retire from politics and concentrate on his health before a second stroke hit him as was the case for Ariel Sharon.
Levy,these raiders you brought in the country in the name of investors they dont care about the safety of the Zambian workers in the mines and all they need is earn abnormal profits and putting a price tag on life as Kelvin stated, thus they must go if they can not comply to the Zambian labour laws and leave Zambia for the Zambians.
The MMD govt has misinterpreted the term “Investor”, hence we have seen useless and dubious criminals come in the name of an “investor.” Why allow people to use shovel’s and pik’s when there are earth-moving equipment? Because the govt does not care.
My heart breeds at the rate our country is going.The fact that privatisation has been disaster does not mean even ex prisoners who have forex can be treated as investors.Even institution that deals with investors have completely been overlooked to just allow multitudes of ex prisoners troop in numbers to come and construct Kamwala market,maamba coal, chambishi mines,KTZ? For sure despearte situations call for desperate solutions not at the rate we are doing things.Zambians will certainly live to regret this move espcially those that have life in them because others its just a matter of time ,they will be no more.
Levy wants to resign but its Maureen who pushing him and she seems to be ruling the Zed.
I think if we are serious about improving safety in our mines and other industries we need to seriously ask ourselves how much we want to commit to safety. Inceased funding alone to the Mines safety Department will not improve safety. It may help to improve the motivational levels of the government Inspectors but we need to work on changing the mindset of people in the industry and government. When a miner or miners are killed or serious injury results from an accident in most cases work is allowed to resume almost with 24 hours. if we follow the example of the developed countries that mine or industry would be closed until such time that it was deemed safe enough to operate.
Until we have the will (especially political)to change things then these accidents will continue with or without improved funding to MSD.
Sata should consider retiring to pave way for the young.
Sata should consider retiring from active politics to pave way for the young. By the way has he been honored as freedom fighter? if not Why? we dont want to breed Mugabe’s in Zed.
Milimo, I agree with you that Sata is as bad as Mugabe, but he is as innovative as a technocrat. Only that he has become old and does not support foreigner’s, otherwise he would have been the best President to make Zambian’s realise that there is nothing for free in this world.
Sata must devise his succession policy for his party, for sure he is a pragmatic leader and the best he could do is start grooming the young party members of PF who can fulfil his long unanswered dreams.As long as he continues to stick to the leadership even the best that he has done will just go to waste.Mr Sata be objective and realistic in life and honestly assess a situation, don’t force it. It is not worth it to pursue a lost course. Your calling may be appreciated but you need to pass on the mantle to people like the MP above – Yamfwa.
Sata makes sense,but I feel his days are long gone.If we give him a chance of becoming Zambian president,he will be worse than Mugabe.He talks a lot,and mostly nonsense!!!Please Mr.Sata let somebody else and younger than you stand as PF pres-candidate in 2011.This way people will appreciate the little you’ve done for our nation.Besides,isolate yourself from FTJ as Chiluba is just tarnishing your image and that of PF.FTJ&his men were great thieves.A bulk of ills faced today are due to FTJ’s wrongdoings.Even accidents in the mines wouldn’t have been so many had FTJ managed the mines properly.PLM is trying to attract investors to Zed,unfortunately most of these investors’re fake ones.All they need is making huge profits.They’ve no care about safety or anything else.I for one,can’t blame LPM for all these unrests.Let us blame FTJ.Levy,stop wasting tax payer’s cash on FTJ’s health.Let this short man(kafupi) die as a punishment for what he did to Zambian economy!!!
KM you rekon that Zambia is 43years old and we have had three leaders in succession,FTJ blamed KK for the ill economy , LPM is blaming FTJ for the empty treasury,but what bothers me ,has he at one time suggested ways and means that will make Zambia tick having known the causes? Leadership must be incremental and not retrogressive,to me LPM has just failed and cannot continue to cry over spilt milk.Tony blair and Co inherited a ravaged economy , they did not continue to cry day and nite about Thatcher/Major’s misdeeds, they came in with their own strategies which today have built what UK is from the pieces left by black wednesday and that is what leadership is all about.His choice to link up with China is not a very health situation to start with and he signing deals that will affect the nation in the future, no one is being consulted over these deals and when time comes to remove his immunity he will be the first person to cry foul.God forbid
KM, I think you are so cruel than death. if I was you I can look back and see what the same person you wish to die has done to Mwanawasa. Without Chiluba, Mwanawasa wouldn’t have been the president.It s’ up to Levy to delivery what he promised the Zambians during the campaign. Blaming Chiluba will never help him after leavng state house. Bear in mind, If your beloved Levy fails the Zambians with regard to the constitution making process claiming its’expensive, he will regret because people will remove his immunity and you know what the next will be with his illness.God forbid
Selfish,egotistical politicians
People give King Cobra a break. Do you realize that without him we wouldn’t have a national budget this year? Everything that is in the budget is King Cobra’s policies. That should tell you that either people in MMD can’t think or they are just scared of thinking. Look at HH, he represents our generation. The guy is so out of touch with reality he goes to Soweto market in an Armani suite. All he talks about is fulfilling Andy’s vision. Well I don’t know what Andy’s vision was and I’m sure I represent 80% of Zambians. HH hasn’t said anything constructive; all he does is comment or react to what other leaders like King Cobra are saying. IF our generation has to take over the leadership from our fathers. We have to step up and show that we are ready. King Cobra and LPM will always fight. They belong to the past. All we can do lean from their mistakes and carry the mantal. I haven’t seen any you man step up. HH is completely lost. He cannot connect with the people. My advice to HH, and its free. When you meet people in the markets dress like them and speak their language. You can learn that from Sata. That is the only reason Sata has aupper hand on Levy
I agree with Allen Mate increasing funding will only motivate the inspectors but putting systems that will prevent accident will be equally benefit both the investors and employees.