Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema has announced on Facebook the hand over of the Kitwe Black Mountain, known as the Nkana Slag Dump to a Consortium of cooperatives representing all the 10 districts of the Copperbelt province, the Women in mining group, and the Community hosting the black mountain.
Mr. Hichilema said that his government appreciates the enormous value and great potential of the mining sector, and its ability to be a major factor in our country’s economic transformation and that now is the time to bring about sanity in the mining sector, which has been ravaged by greed, corruption and unscrupulous practices by certain investors and those charged with governance.
The President also announced that ten different companies have been identified as off-takers of the material from the black mountain and that youth and women cooperatives will soon realise monetary benefits from the mineral sales that they will have complete control over.
The President further announced that, in order to support specific youth groups, a revolving fund has been created under the district commissioner’s office and a committee has since been formed to manage the fund with strict fund management and accountability guidelines.
The President said that by-products from the production process will be used for the production of concrete and pavers for townships roads. Over the weekend, National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) has warned that illegal mining activities at the dumpsites would soon resurface if the government delays lifting the ban that was effected last September.
In September last year, Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe suspended mining activities at all dumpsites until there was sanity in the operations. NUMAW national treasurer Saul Simunjika said the government should consider lifting the ban and quickly give a clear roadmap on how activities would be conducted once works at the dumpsites resume.
Mr. Simunjila said in an interview that any more delay would force youths, including those who were legally operating there before the ban to engage in the illegal mining activities.
“The direction from Government is needed because in its absence you will see illegal activates resuming even by the same youth companies that were allowed to work there before the ban, they will start sending street boys to conduct mining activities illegally,” Mr. Simunjila said.
Youths on the Copperbelt recently demanded for a clear roadmap on how activities will be conducted at the dump site once operations resume. Government in September last year suspended mining activities at all dumpsites until there was sanity in the operations.
Mr Kabuswe said the government wanted sanity and order to be restored in the operations while it promotes small-scale mining in the dumpsites. He also said that there was need to create a legal framework for youths to fairly participate in small-scale mining.
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