Government through the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development has commenced the training of 140 mining cooperatives in Muchinga Province as part of the mining formalisation process.
Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary, Hapenga Kabeta, says the training of Artisanal and Small-scale Miners is in a bid to promote sustainable mining practices in the province and the nation at large.
Dr Kabeta adds that government, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, was carrying out the transformative agenda to formalise the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) sector nationwide, after realising that thousands of Zambians, particularly in rural areas, rely on artisanal mining for their livelihoods.
He further states that Government envisions a well-regulated Artisanal and Small-scale Miners sector that contributes meaningfully to the country’s economic development, hence, its determination to close gaps of illegal mining.
The media reports that Dr Kabeta said this in a speech read on his behalf by Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary, Reverend Mathews Chilekwa, during the official opening of phase three national training held in Mpika District.
Dr Kabeta pointed out that Artisanal and Small-scale formalisation alone was not enough without the right skills, knowledge, technology, and understanding of mining laws.
He said if not systematically structured, the sector risks remaining unsafe, unproductive, and environmentally damaging.
The Permanent Secretary said the training programme, which is the first in Muchinga Province, is a deliberate investment in human capital required to mine responsibly and profitably.
He pointed out that the formalisation process is a huge step in ensuring that no more lives are lost through illegal mining, like the tragic incidents experienced in the past where many Zambians lost their lives.
“Life threatening occurrences are painful reminders of the dangers associated with unregulated mining activities and the urgent need to bring safety, structure, and accountability into the sector,” he said.
Dr Kabeta charged that through the training and formalisation exercise, Government was proactively putting in place systems that will safeguard lives of citizens, ensuring safe mining conditions, and promote responsible mining practices
Meanwhile, Brighton Kateka, Assistant Director Artisanal and Small-scale Mining under the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, said the training of mining cooperatives in Muchinga is to ensure that Artisanal and Small-scale Miners conduct mining in a safe and sustainable manner.
Mr Kateka added that the training will address a number of illegalities currently happening.
And Mpika District Commissioner, David Siame, has urged participants to take the training seriously as it will enhance the mining sector’s contribution to national development.
