Chief Chibwika of the Lunda speaking people in Mwinilunga district of North-Western province has clarified the delay to issue gold panning licences to cooperatives in his chiefdom.
Speaking during a courtesy call by Home affairs Permanent Secretary Masiye Banda and his provincial counterpart, Willies Mangimela recently, Chief Chibwika said the delay to issue gold panning licences to twenty cooperatives in his chiefdom was because the panning certificates were issued in areas without mineral potential.
“The manner in which they were issued was not in the way that it will benefit the local people because they were issued in areas where there is no potential”, he said.
Chief Chibwika said an agreement with the minister of mines to hold on to the certificate until the ministry sends personnel to amend the irregularities.
“So upon scrutinizing and verifying that they were in a wrong place we agreed with the honorable minister with his entourage that we should not issue those certificates”, he said.
The traditional leader said issuing the certificates without the amendments would have caused more problems because people were going to discover that they were taken far away from potential areas with minerals deposits.
And North-Western Province Permanent Secretary, Willies Mangimela said it is unfortunate that such allegations could be made about the chiefdom but assured the chief that the misinformation will be rectified.
“It is unfortunate that there were such statements but they can be corrected”, Mr Mangimela said.
He said he was aware of the challenge around the licenses but expressed happiness that the matter will be settled when officers from ministry of mines are on the ground.
It’s a state function, period. Wht bureaucracy does Chief Chibwika have to issue such documents and also store them in a reliable system to ensure retrieval of these records in future? Secondly, Chief Chibwika has no sovereignty, not even in his chiefdom and no chief has got it. Of course some chiefs hv illusions of sovereignty but that is just that, illusions. They cannot tax their subjects, mobilise them to go to war or defend them from crime.
The Chief should ensure that for every license, there will be a percentage that will remain for the purposes of developing his Chiefdom and the people …
Sitali Simui these are selfish chiefs who only allow family members or just relatives
Wise decision ba chief. Good to see a man who genuinely is looking out for his people.we wish hh had this approach to privatisation. Instead he sold out his own country for peanuts. Do we want such a greedy monster in power? Just vote pf
Ensure that some of the proceeds will benefit the local people…
The story of Africa, steal the resources, give empty promises, treat locals like f o o l s, use locals to steal .
The chief will find that the PF theives lead from statehouse have shared the area with potential amongst them selves and their thugs….
Sorry chief …..
Thanks my cousin. You are a wise chief learnt good manners from Kaonde chiefs. Don’t give out mineral right to people from other regions, look noone from other region has the rights to catch fish in lake Bangweulu, mwelu. Its for the development of the District and the province as a whole
WHAT aCCADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS HAS cHIEF CHIBWIKA? Bsc Mineral Sciences? Msc Geology? BA. WITCHCRAFT? Provide full names i googe him