PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has warned that the Government would be left with no option but repossess the country’s only underground coal mine again if there was no change in the safety and operational standards.
The President was speaking today in Sinazongwe District in Southern Province when he re-commissioned the Collum Coal Mine which is set to employ more than 1,000 workers.
The mine which is set to start its operations on Tuesday was placed under care and maintenance in 2012 after the government revoked the license of Collum Coal Mining Industries due to persistent breaches of regulations.
President Lungu who commissioned it today said the Government has decided to give back the mine to the Chinese firm after assurance that necessary measures have been taken to improve the operations.
The Government revoked the mining license of the Chinese firm in 2012 following persistent failure to comply with mining regulations. As well as failing to provide personal protective equipment to its employees, the company could not afford to pay mineral royalty tax.
Mr Lungu warned that the Government would not hesitate to close the mine once again if there was no improvement of operations.
In 2010, more than 10 miners were shot at the mine by Chinese managers after labour disputes while then Southern Province Minister Alice Simango could not hold back her tears upon seeing employees working without garments earlier.
“A decision was made to close this mine because there were so many breaches and it became intolerable for Government to ignore the operations,” he said.
“But after being elected president, I decided to reopen it, but I have taken a personal risk although I am glad to hear that my concerns have been taken care of and that the mine will employ more than 1,000 workers.”
Mr Lungu admitted that he had taken a risk by giving back the mine to the Chinese firm and directed the Ministry of mines to ensure that safety was guaranteed before full operations resumed.
He also directed Chinese managers at the company to familiarise themselves with the local traditional and culture to avert misunderstandings.
The President also assured that no one would die from hunger following poor rains because his Government was currently assessing the needs of the people in dufferent parts of the country.
Earlier Collum Coal Mining Industries general manager Xu Jain Xue said the handing over of the mine was a sign that the Government had confidence in the Chinese firm.
“The handover of the coal mine by Government back to us as the Chinses
owners is a great and positive development for the people of Sinazongwe, Southern Province and Zambia as a whole.
“More so that there will be more job creation and ultimately poverty alleviation not only in this part of Zambia but in the country as a whole,”he said.
Mr Xu said the company had committed to invest about US $40 million in the next four years for infrastructure renovations and development as well as exploration.
The company further intends to increase its production capacity from the current 12,000 tonnes per month over 40,000 tonnes.
Chief Sinazongwe said in his vote of thank that the reopening of the mine would change the economic outlook of the district and assured the head of state that traditional leaders would support efforts aimed at developing the country.
Meanwhile President Lungu also toured on the ongoing construction of Sinazeze Market where scores of residents lined up in the streets to catch a glimpse of him.
SELENI BABOMBEKO
whoever stopped Lungu drinking beer,,, awe alibifya!!!,,, some people when they are sober look like sheep and are inactive, give them two, three bottles awe shuwa they become alive and state the place ablaze,,,, those watching just make sure no one falls
Personal risk on the Presidents when he is transparently executing the duty of the president? How many person risks is going to take. Was directing tax reduction in mineral tax a personal risks?
So no zambian can run this mine as you give it back to the very people who seriously breached the regulations including shooting and killing people? I thought Zambia was full of very intelligent and street smart Bemba’s? Surely none of you can run this mine except for the Chinese? Hahahaha what a race. By the way I am Zed Indian
@ManB: So being a “Zed Indian” excuses you from the responsibilities of making “your” progress? Who told you only Bembas, Tongas, Chewas, etc, are responsible for Zambia’s prosperity?
You are the kind of “Zed Indians” who have made your “Race” (to borrowing your st.u.p!d characterisation) look like you are simply in Zambia for exploitation, but your hearts really lay somewhere else. To you Zambia is only good for exploitation and its Passport.
The mine has been idle since 2012 so why didn’t you take it over yourself? Oh, I forgot, Tax reporting is a bit stringent in the mines for a Zed Indian. You wouldn’t be able to cheat and exploit. Yours is the “Kamwala Center” kind of selling “viTenge” so you can do your Indian bull-cr@p of lying and cheating. What an !d!ot!
Ndobo, you’re the only second honest person. Ba Edgar balemoneka sad sad these days. But since he is feeling better now, nkamunwina pa weekend. This weekend is for Lungu, I hope he drinks too.
Vision-less.
Very very bad idea. The unemployment rate for college and non college graduate in Brazil is worse than that of Zed. So can’t they set that Plant in their own Country to help the citizens of Brazil than setting up problems in Zambia. It’s just going to be a scam.
@ndobo you hv made my evening!
For now its ifintu Ni Lungu, uyu eotulefwaya!
Sorry for my poor Bemba I am Lozi!
You are LOZI @kalanga but why writing in BEMBA be proud of your language u sell out , if u cant write in english write in your backward LOZI
He got a bride from another Chinese company. There is a department responsible of such, don’t go sata way of decree.
I feel bad that am a tonga,
I once belonged toUPND during Mazoka’s reign. Sine hh took over I have built the feeling that tongas politicians argue for no reason except that because they are tongas they can not be part of the development. Even my relatives are urging me not to respect the present leadership for the sake of not being tonga.
This reason has made me join PF not FDD because they say Nawakwi is Bemba or comes from the North just as Chipimo the leader of NAREP party.
I feel low knowing that UPND was supposed to be my party.
You are just a disgruntled person in search of a meal ticket; one does not join a party just because the president is of one s tribe, get civilised; we need a leader to steer this country back to sanity no matter what tribe, and another thing; stop this silly tribalism it is destroying our country.
The same Chinese will be milling ubunga all over the country. Awe mulantekunya imwe batata
Ba Mulongoti,
Pls. go for another deliverance ku church, mwalafuntapo fye nombaline. Muleeshako no bulimi nga mwasanga ukuti ifintu fyabipa. Mubosabosa fye lyonse because you have nothing to do.
Grab the mine from a company breaching regulations and give it back to the same company that breached the regulations. Then you warn the same company from whom you grabbed the mine for breaching the regulations with the warning that they shouldn’t breach the regulations which they evidently breached before. This is so confusing!!!!
kekekeke well spoken mate, and when they grab the company they will not be high in safety either and then impose a wage freeze. kekekeke what politics can do; people stop reasoning just to let people hear what they want to hear;
Nothing confusing, its just you that is already confused ………………………so please dont confuse as
government must run mamba as a parastatal and use the coal to propel themal power generators in ndola and Lusaka. so that ndola and Lusaka can be off grid. we will not worry about low water levels and their attendant load sheddings
Ba LT, this is an honest question and I really would like an honest answer: I have recently noticed that my comments are being dropped/censored unnecessarily these days; is this by design or deliberate? If so, why? Because I can hardly call or regard what I post offensive or insulting.
Compared to some of the hate filled and insult laden comments I read from other bloggers on this site, mine are very tamed and measured. But I am surprised that every time I post a comment it only stays up for a short time and then disappears. If I am being banned from this site I need to know what I have violated so I can look somewhere else to express my opinions.
If you have now grown big headed like the ZWD who want to have a one sided point of view, well it is your site and your call!
Do not lie.
Ine ndatukana and my insele are allowed.
They only not air insele for El and HH but for my fellow bloggers, balachita allow
Waunfwa bwamba bobe.