Africa-Press – Zambia. Central Province Minister, Credo Nanjuwa is saddened by the behaviour of directors of some mining companies in Mkushi District who run away from government officials that visit their firms.
Mr. Nanjuwa says government dignitaries should be accorded the respect that they deserve by investors especially that they are there to serve the interest of the people.
Speaking when he met directors of some mining firms from Mkushi at his office in Kabwe, Mr. Nanjuwa explained that government dignitaries that visit the mining firms do so on behalf of the president who wants to know the welfare of the people in various areas.
He said the licenses that the mining firms acquire have conditions on them and that it is the duty of government officials to see to it that the guidelines are being adhered to.
And True stone Mineral Processing Limited Director, Mathews Sikanyika has commended government for its efforts in trying to dialogue and find solutions to the challenges that mining firms are going through.
Mr. Sikanyika said the major challenge that mining firms in Mkushi are facing is the delay by Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) in approving permits for companies.
Mr. Sikanyika said the delay by ZEMA to approve permits creates anxiety and room for people to start operating illegally. He appealed to government to quickly intervene by cutting the bureaucracy that is at ZEMA so that work is expedited. Meanwhile, Director of Datong Industry, Alex Lee appealed to government through ZEMA to standardize the design of wash plants in the mining firms.
Mr. Lee complained that when one applies for construction of the wash plant, ZEMA would approve it, then after the projects advance and sometime when it is near completion ZEMA would come for inspections and direct that the construction should be erased because it is wrong. He said the work attitude at ZEMA should be revised so that it benefits both the government and the investors.
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