Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) National Coordinator, Gabriel Pollen says government will continue to explore areas of synergies and opportunities with mining companies to ensure onsite disaster management initiatives are integrated into the national agenda of minimizing and avoiding potential disasters that may arise.
Dr Pollen says mining activities underpin the core of Zambia’s economic activities, adding that disaster management features as a fundamental portfolio in mining management.
He says one of the major issues being drowned from the international platform is how to encourage businesses to consider disaster risk as part of their response risk portfolio.
Dr Pollen said this in Solwezi today when he called on the North-western provincial administration alongside his visit to the Kansanshi mine.
He said his visit to the mine is timely to also ensure they raise community awareness on the upcoming day of the disaster risk reduction on 13th October whose theme is focusing on early warning and early action.
“This is an opportunity for us to spread the word around disaster risk reduction as a radical fundamental shift in the way in which disaster risk management is being handled,” he said.
Dr Pollen said disasters cannot be managed if institutions work in isolation.
And Provincial Deputy Permanent Secretary, Naomi Tetamashimba has called for the mines to have a linkage with government and work together in issues of disaster risk management.
Ms Tetamashimba said government has provided an enabling environment for the mines to operate hence the need to coordinate and work together.
“I am also suggesting that if we could have some of the mine management to be part of some of the committees we have as government so that they can come as ex-officials,” she said.
Dr Pollen and his team are in Solwezi district at the invitation of Kansanshi mine to access and explore opportunities that are there between government and the private sector in terms of disaster risk management.
This is just stupidity …health and safety regulations are mandatory guildlines to follow most accidents are due to not adhering to them. What do you want to partner with them just punish those who fail to adhere to them.
Ignorance at it’s best. I had better stop here before Spaka calls me PF or Kasai….. but this brown boy seems just had to say something.
@Tarino “London” Orange: the topic here is Disaster Management, and not Health and Safety regulation. By the way, are you in London or England bro? and when are you visiting the UK after London?
What do you understand by the words “onsite disaster management initiatives”? Think very carefully before you ask another silly question
The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) was created in 1994, as a permanently established statutory government agency, forming part of the Office of the Vice President, charged with the responsibility of ensuring the achievement of the nation’s Disaster Management Objectives. The Unit draws its powers from the Disaster Management ACT No. 13 of 2010. The overall implementation and coordination of all disaster management activities and programmes in the country is done through the DMMU. [ source: DMMU website]
So you tell me why a permanently established statutory govt agency should be partnering with the mines?? DMMU should have inspectors
You boys up there in old days used overthink of yourselves as intelligent & knowlegeable – not any more bru. Zambia & Zambians are now super advanced and locally bro. Its Zed to the world now – which simply means “We will teach you here” where ever you come from – Somalia or England, we now know the same things bro. Now let me explain the topic above for you in a way u will understand. A mine worker on duty who climbs height without a safety belt or goes underground mining without proper gear-thats a SAFETY issue. A mine worker who walks in to the dusty caused by trucks digging copper or drinks water that comes as a byproduct from mining – thats a HEALTH issue.A mine worker who gets injured from falling walls/rocks in a shaft underground – thats a Disaster. Which Dr. Pollen went there…
Who said anyone was smarter than the other, its you exposing your warped inferiority complexes…a disaster is an accident how do you reduce the risk of rocks falling you put measures in place just like when you are digging a hole more than 6 metres deep.
*..digging a hole more than 6 feet deep.
…To address. You understand now Mr London or Great Britain?
Mines Rescue requires the manager, having regard to the operations conducted at a mine, draw up a plan and enforce a code of procedure for the summoning of assistance and for the guidance and instruction of persons who may be called upon to engage in rescue work at a mine.
Dumps specifically tailing and slime dumps can result in a disaster. Equip the mine inspectors to understand that accumulation of water in, under or near the dump may make the dump insecure and dangerous.
Remove mineral tax holiday and save money to address tailing and slime dumps. Do not just aim at achieving 3million tonnes, think about the dumps.