Friday, March 29, 2024

Mopani jobs are safe-Lusambo

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Mr Lusambo stresses a point during a live Let the People Talk programme
Mr Lusambo stresses a point during a live Let the People Talk programme

Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo has assured miners at Mopani Copper Mines on the Copperbelt that Government will protect their welfare.
Mr. Lusambo’s assurances follows Mopani’s intentions to retrench close to 5,000 workers if the stand of over new power tariffs with Copperbelt Energy Corporation is not resolved.

Mr. Lusambo said in an interview Wednesday morning that Mopani was aware of Government’s position on protecting the jobs and urged them to expedite negotiations with CEC.
He called on the miners to remain calm down adding that Government’s has clearly stated that they would allow the two firms conclude negotiations without interference.

“It is not our intention to retrench our workers and Mopani is aware of that. Our position as Government is that the welfare of the workers has to be protected,” Mr. Lusambo said.

“I want to appeal to the workers to remain calm as we are keeping an eye on the two entities (CEC and Mopani) to see how negotiations will come out. It is not in our interest to see quarrels between the two institutions,” he said.

He added, “People should realise that as Government, the power tariffs have been increased and there is no two ways about it. Our domestic consumers have agreed to pay and they are paying the increased tariff. Our position as Copperbelt Administration is that the jobs of the 4,700 miners are protected and Mopani is fully aware of that.

Mr. Lusambo said, “The Minister of Energy had put it correctly when he visisted Mopani this week that Mopani and CEC must conclude their investigations fast. For us as Government, we are monitoring the situation keenly to see how the negotiations will come out. It is not in our interest to see quarrels between our two institutions.”
Meanwhile, CEC says the action to restrict power supply was necessitated byMopani’s refusal to accept the 2017 tariff increment despite negotiations that began in November 2016 involving CEC, its main supplier of power, ZESCO Limited (ZESCO), and all of CEC’s mine customers.

CEC Spokesperson Chama Nsabika said to date, Mopani remains the only CEC customer refusing to pay the 2017 industrywide tariff.

“CEC wishes to state that under the Power Supply Agreement (PSA) with MCM, there is provision for negotiated and industrywide tariff revisions. In this process, CEC wishes to state that it fully supports the critical requirement for this country to effect a cost-reflective tariff regime to all customer categories,” Mrs Nsabika said in a statement.

“Tariffs to all customer categories in Zambia are being increased during 2017 as a first step to moving towards cost-reflective levels to phase out subsidies that have been provided to the sector over the years and which are not economically sustainable for the country. It is, therefore, important that all players show appreciation for the general direction the country is taking and contribute their fair share to this process,” she said.

Mrs Nsabika said during the period of restriction, CEC has remained committed to resolving the matter amicably and to return to the normal supply situation; and has in this vein, held several discussions with Mopani aimed at resolving the situation.

“CEC even offered MCM an option to provide them with power from alternative sources in the interim as a way of meeting their full requirements while the parties worked to resolve the current impasse. It is unfortunate that MCM still rejected this offer,” she said.

Mrs. Nsabika said under the circumstances, CEC has been left with no other option through which it can help Mopani without any constructive engagement from their side.

“It must be pointed out that the desired resolution cannot be achieved to the detriment of the Zambian energy sector and the Company’s sustainability. Eight months after the implementation of the new tariff, outstanding amounts due from Mopani have escalated, making it unsustainable for both CEC and ZESCO to continue supplying Mopani with their full power requirements.”

She added, “With all the other mines having agreed to paying at the new rate, Mopani’s attitude, unfortunately, poses a serious threat of undoing the progress that has been nationally achieved and risks taking the country back to a position where it cannot sustain its energy sector, which would adversely impact the whole economy.
Mrs. Nsabika said the sustainability of the ZambiaMopani jobs are safe-Lusambo

Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo has assured miners at Mopani Copper Mines on the Copperbelt that Government will protect their welfare.

Mr. Lusambo’s assurances follows Mopani’s intentions to retrench close to 5,000 workers if the stand of over new power tariffs with Copperbelt Energy Corporation is not resolved.

Mr. Lusambo said in an interview Wednesday morning that Mopani was aware of Government’s position on protecting the jobs and urged them to expedite negotiations with CEC.
He called on the miners to remain calm down adding that Government’s has clearly stated that they would allow the two firms conclude negotiations without interference.

“It is not our intention to retrench our workers and Mopani is aware of that. Our position as Government is that the welfare of the workers has to be protected,” Mr. Lusambo said.

“I want to appeal to the workers to remain calm as we are keeping an eye on the two entities (CEC and Mopani) to see how negotiations will come out. It is not in our interest to see quarrels between the two institutions,” he said.

He added, “People should realise that as Government, the power tariffs have been increased and there is no two ways about it. Our domestic consumers have agreed to pay and they are paying the increased tariff. Our position as Copperbelt Administration is that the jobs of the 4,700 miners are protected and Mopani is fully aware of that.

Mr. Lusambo said, “The Minister of Energy had put it correctly when he visisted Mopani this week that Mopani and CEC must conclude their investigations fast. For us as Government, we are monitoring the situation keenly to see how the negotiations will come out. It is not in our interest to see quarrels between our two institutions.”

Meanwhile, CEC says the action to restrict power supply was necessitated byMopani’s refusal to accept the 2017 tariff increment despite negotiations that began in November 2016 involving CEC, its main supplier of power, ZESCO Limited (ZESCO), and all of CEC’s mine customers.

CEC Spokesperson Chama Nsabika said to date, Mopani remains the only CEC customer refusing to pay the 2017 industrywide tariff.

“CEC wishes to state that under the Power Supply Agreement (PSA) with MCM, there is provision for negotiated and industrywide tariff revisions. In this process, CEC wishes to state that it fully supports the critical requirement for this country to effect a cost-reflective tariff regime to all customer categories,” Mrs Nsabika said in a statement.

“Tariffs to all customer categories in Zambia are being increased during 2017 as a first step to moving towards cost-reflective levels to phase out subsidies that have been provided to the sector over the years and which are not economically sustainable for the country. It is, therefore, important that all players show appreciation for the general direction the country is taking and contribute their fair share to this process,” she said.

Mrs Nsabika said during the period of restriction, CEC has remained committed to resolving the matter amicably and to return to the normal supply situation; and has in this vein, held several discussions with Mopani aimed at resolving the situation.

“CEC even offered MCM an option to provide them with power from alternative sources in the interim as a way of meeting their full requirements while the parties worked to resolve the current impasse. It is unfortunate that MCM still rejected this offer,” she said.

Mrs. Nsabika said under the circumstances, CEC has been left with no other option through which it can help Mopani without any constructive engagement from their side.

“It must be pointed out that the desired resolution cannot be achieved to the detriment of the Zambian energy sector and the Company’s sustainability. Eight months after the implementation of the new tariff, outstanding amounts due from Mopani have escalated, making it unsustainable for both CEC and ZESCO to continue supplying Mopani with their full power requirements.”

She added, “With all the other mines having agreed to paying at the new rate, Mopani’s attitude, unfortunately, poses a serious threat of undoing the progress that has been nationally achieved and risks taking the country back to a position where it cannot sustain its energy sector, which would adversely impact the whole economy.

Mrs. Nsabika said the sustainability of the Zambian energy sector and that of the respective players in the sector is underpinned by providing services at cost-reflective levels.

“The Zambian energy sector has over the last 24 months experienced various challenges and in responding to these challenges, several interventions have been undertaken; all of which have changed the cost base for the sector. This includes the cost of imported power and new generation plants in Zambia, which are significantly more expensive than power from traditional and/or legacy sources.”

“CEC wishes to reiterate that it is saddened by this very unfortunate situation created by MCM and remains hopeful that the two Management teams will work together to conclusively resolve this avoidable standoff; for the good of the mining sector, the economy and the country as a whole.”n energy sector and that of the respective players in the sector is underpinned by providing services at cost-reflective levels.

“The Zambian energy sector has over the last 24 months experienced various challenges and in responding to these challenges, several interventions have been undertaken; all of which have changed the cost base for the sector. This includes the cost of imported power and new generation plants in Zambia, which are significantly more expensive than power from traditional and/or legacy sources.”

“CEC wishes to reiterate that it is saddened by this very unfortunate situation created by MCM and remains hopeful that the two Management teams will work together to conclusively resolve this avoidable standoff; for the good of the mining sector, the economy and the country as a whole.”

14 COMMENTS

  1. There lays the problem with this govt, you have empty tins like Bowman who 3 years ago was a MMD bouncer for hire throwing stones now negotiating GRZ deals.

  2. Kambwili revisited, we all remember kambwili promising the no mining jobs would lost only for retrenchment the next month….

  3. Too late Minister, Miners working for some contractors will be getting Zero Kwacha this month because of the shut down and as you speak, SOB operations have been suspended for the next 16 Days.

  4. Point of correction Lusanabo: citizens did not agree to pay the new tariffs! You sharved those tariffs down our throats. Citizens are yet to react when enough gets enough! Remember that Zambia borrowed on behalf of Zimbabwe millions of USDs. It is the poor Zambians to pay! It’s really a shame to have puppets in charge of our national affairs. Sad!

  5. THESE EMPLOYERS or SO CALLED INVESTOR are too selfish and too political, when they are making profit you cant even see them coming out in open to say we have made so much profit and we want to pay back to the employees by motivating them in any form of financial support , or to say we are going to construct township roads as the way of pay back to the community were we operate. we only hear them when things are not going in there way…if me ordinary citizen can pay the hiked electric price why is these so called investors failing to pay, who do they think is going to pay for them at the expense of poor Zambians, people its think twice about these investors, we love these investors but they should pay back to us when its due for them to do so. at the end of the day they will go back and…

  6. So Lusambo; you are saying you are going to bow down to Mopani s demands? as sad as it is that so many jobs will be lost but for political milage you l want to appease the foreign investors at the cost of we the Zambian people. If we Zambians should strike over the high electricity tarrifs you will have us locked up. these people are making money out of us here and you are busy yes bwana yes bwana and we you are saying shipikisheni. No you need to see to the interest of us Zambians as well.

  7. @Nose demon, @JJ, @Spaka like lilo and HH, latest reports say that HH has won a landslide victory in Namwala and will be installed as Paramount Chief of Namwala District! There were celebrations all over the district and Dog Watchers in Zambia, the official propaganda mouthpiece of the delusionals carried out the news on each page!

  8. Foreigners know our weakness. These threats of retreching workers has been there from govt to govt. They want to achieve something e.g. salary increments might be affected come 2018.

  9. Now you are talking as an Honourable. Oh, and ignore the ignorant and unpatriotic UPNDonkeys. For them its all politics even when the situation calls for unity to face what amounts to aggression against the nation.

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