The Ministry of Technology and Science is in the process of establishing specialised training institutions to offer skills courses critical to the mining sector.
Technology and Science Minister, Felix Mutati said the training institutions will be established in two mining provinces of Copperbelt and North-Western.
Mr Mutati said specialised skills are critical in reaching the three million metric tonnes copper production that government is targeting in ten years.
He said government will work with the mining companies in identifying skills that are relevant to the mining sector.
” The ministry together with TEVETA, will sit with yourselves to understand critical skills needed for us to reach three million metric tonnes of copper in ten years”, Mr Mutati said
Mr Mutati was speaking yesterday at Barrick Lumwana Mine in Kalumbila district during a meeting with mine management.
Mr Mutati said the ministry wants to help youths get relevant skills, adding that this will help bridge the skills gap in the mining sector.
” As mining gets bigger, we need to prepare our youths with relevant skills needed by the mines,” he said.
Mr Mutati said this will help address the issue of bringing in expatriates to do jobs that can be done by Zambians.
Meanwhile, Mr Mutati asked the mine to partner with Mwinilunga Trades Training Institute to undertake the desk making initiative.
He said the institution will provide the facility and staff while the mine can support the initiative with waste wood.
” This will deal with the issue of shortage of desks in the province, Mwinilunga can supply to Ikelenge as well. We don’t want to be importing desks from outside when we can make them in our institutions”, Mr Mutati said.
Barrick Lumwana Mine Acting General Manager, Abraham Musonda commended government’s move, saying this is critical for sustaining the country’s skills
Mr Musonda said there is need to provide opportunities for the youths once they are trained.
“This is a positive move that we would want to be part of, but we need to table it with the board. We will communicate the decision that will be made,” he said.
And North-Western Province Minister, Robert Lihefu commended the mine for its Corporate Social Responsibility activities but asked them to double their efforts.
“Lumwana mine is doing well in CSR in their catchment area, but they should double their efforts, we want to see more activities from them”, Mr Lihefu said.
He said the host communities should feel the impact of having a mine in their area.
“In the process of”, “Is planning to”, “Will take of” – TEN MONTHS of being in power, plans by the million, but absolutely NO DELIVERY whatsoever! This is the government of EMPTY PROMISES!
Ya true boy just like it your mother 2 weeks to give birth to you right?
Bali fika ad mu comfort, its a govt of liars frm top to down. Ad they are paid for jst lying ad doing nothing.
Mr ECL spoiled the people of Zambia, when you have a LEADER claiming he has NO VISION and NEVER communicated any plans, the result is people stop dreaming of the future, they stop planning, they JUST live day-2-day on what that day brings to them. When you have a LEADER who has a VISION and provides plans, to those people brainwashed by LUNGU*s “VISIONLESS”, those VISIONS & PLANS translate to what they are now calling “EMPTY PROMISES.” RIDICULOUS, RIGHT? In the meantime, you attack the GOVERNMENT for acting as “Chimbwi, no plan”, and when presented with a plan, you turn around and say those are “EMPTY PROMISES”. Only CHIMBWI would ACT and THINK this way !!!! It took 10 years for whatever you credit PF for, this government is only 10months, they have to plan, unlike LUNGU, result…
Cont`d
It took 10 years for whatever you credit PF for, this government is only 10months, they have to plan, unlike LUNGU, result is the SH!T you are in.
What MUTATI is planning to do SHOULD, INFACT deserves an APPLAUD and ENCOURAGEMENT, HOW DO YOU expect the indigenous Zambians to OWN and RUN the mining without the right SKILLS? This government has a vision, and NOTICE how they communicating everyday…..”critical in reaching the three million metric tonnes copper production that government is targeting in ten years.” I repeat: THE VISION AND GOAL is ” three million metric tonnes copper production in ten years” So they have to be plans to reach that goal!!!
So Mutati is now based in NW acting like a Minister without portifolio last week he was talking the hospital in Solwezi, yesterday he was seeing chiefs now he is talking to the Directors at Mines and technical schools.
50 years after independence surely does your Minister and TEVETA need to sit together …all you need to do is check with the immigration dept and check where there is a skills shortage. Anyway Mutati is busy promoting himself there in NW…the old man is seasoned politican he knows all the tricks in the book.
This f00I is always in the news. When does he work ? He knows hh is weak and is campaigning to take over.
There are many people with training in mining who are looking for jobs.May be they could be considered for employment.
Zambia also desperately needs small artesian mining skills training, if…….
You want Zambians to be more involved in small scale mining…………..
Teach them to run small mines and employ other Zambians………..