About 12 000 job losses in the mining sector have been recorded following the closure of Luanshya Copper Mines and operation adjustments at Mopani Copper Mines.
Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane however says government is determined to save as many jobs as possible in the sector.
Dr. Musokotwane said government has in the 2009 national budget taken fiscal measures aimed at saving job losses.
He said government had this year lowered some taxes in some aspects of the mining sector so as to curb job losses.
The minister was speaking yesterday in Washington DC at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) media conference for African Finance Ministers.
He observed that the current economic crisis that had not only affected Africa but the entire world economy would not last forever.
Dr. Musokotwane said the global economic crunch presented an opportunity for African countries to diversify their economies and create conducive conditions for the private sector investment to thrive.
He however noted that the current global economic crunch was almost reversing the recorded economic gains attained as the crisis came at a time when some countries in Africa had taken broad measures to transform their economies.
At the same occasion, Tanzania’s Finance Minister Mustafa Mkulo said efforts being implemented by African countries aimed at curbing effects of the crisis needed assistance of the international community.
He said the crisis was serious and that it needed global solutions to cushion the negative impact.
ZANIS/MP/AM/ENDS
Save jobs what about creating more jobs and sustaining them….??
In addition to saving u shud create more jobs
They’ve got no plan on how to create new jobs!!!!
People the current economic situations is not an overnight problem so learn to take baby steps. You need to pay people when you creat jobs but where does that money come from when there is no finance.
So first things first in current situation save jobs and or then create more jobs.
You issue a statement like that ‘12,000 lost jobs’ later!!
Great stuff. Jobs are important
The fact of the matter people is that this goverment is not proactive. They will always say they will save jobs and have put in place fiscal plans but there is nothing at all. They are good at propaganda speeches. 12,000 jobs lost??? Thats a lot. The fact of the matter is that these jobs came as a surprise, they never aspired for them from top B to R.
EASIER SAID THAN DONE!
Thats the way to go.Its a prerequisite to save jobs and later create more when the crisis subsides.Now act Mr minister
Mr Situmbeko Create and Save. how can you save when there are no jobs?
Come on pipo come on pipo. There is an economic crisis> Saving jobs is first priority and that does not mean they are no attempts at creating Jobs > general motors is about to cut 21,000 jobs. . Blogger (7)& you talk of being proactive, but how long has the present administration been in power for you come to this conclusion. And then what about the Kasaba Bay project. Way too much negativity
Couldn`t be bothered to read the story just after looking at the head line. It`s not true. Bufi! Jamaco na Nine Chale Bayern have sacked the former Spud! Feel sorry for him.
#11 I think you`ve answered yourself-credit crunch! People are losing jobs all over the world and the difference with Zambia is we do not even have money to pump into our economy. Seriously our credit crunch started when Titus sold the mines for TOSH!
There has just been talk and more politiking over jobs. The miners in Luanshya were promised till today, they are waiting. You say you have tried to reduce the costs for the mines yet Zesco is yapping about increasing tarrifs by 66%, so what measures are you talking about? And #4 CIA, what are reserves for if not for re-investing into the economy and creating jobs? They told us that we had $900m in reserves, this money is needed to be channelled back in the economy through contruction of feeder roads, repairing delapidated roads in cities, fixing the drainage/sanitary systems, improving on the water supply systems, building more schools, colleges and hospitals/clinics and recruiting more teachers, re-training of retrenched miners into teachers and lecturers, develop the irrigation systems.
#14 contd…develop the irrigations systems to advance our farming and food security. We need to promote our tourism by empowering the tourism board with enough cash for effective advertising and promotions, we need to give affordable loans to the local enterpreneurs to grow the SMEs and create employment, we need to empower the commercial farmers to the levels of their South African counterparts whereby each one of them could employ over 100 rural citizens. If we build or attract even 2000 of such farmers, we will create over 200,000 rural jobs, all contributing to NAPSA and paying taxes. Lets spend our reserves wisely, if it means borrowing and getting grants, lets do it. There is no better time than now to dig into our savings. The time calls for this.
Dr. Musokotwane said the global economic crunch presented an opportunity for African countries to diversify their economies and create conducive conditions for the private sector investment to thrive.
This is very true Dr. Musokotwane and I thank you for bringing it up. I also thank you for putting measures in the budget to speedy up the country’s diversification program from Mining to Agriculture and Tourism. Though I think more measures need to be put in place, the current position is a good position to start.
Very good Dr. Musokotwane.
Sorry blogger (14) , its clear you understand the various problems but seem not to give the solution. Yes infrastructure should be built but for this money is needed. Reserves are basically a tool of economic stabilty to mitigate the impact of shocks as was recently done by Government to stabalize the kwacha . As for ZESCO thats a whole big story and figures are showing that we are paying less then the price it takes to produce electricity even when we compare to more effecient producers in the region. It is a very complex thing which requires a multi faceted approach and not just some quick fix solutions
#13, careful how you use that name, you do not know that TOSH wakwisano!! But I agree with you on the selling of mines for a song, however Magande last year told us that we had $1.2bn in reserves which mysteriously reduced to $900m when RB was elected. Whatever the figure, we still need to use the money to create jobs as outlined in #14 and 15. Jah live mon, dem ha fe get a beatin!
Uwakwisano
The reserves reduced to $900 million because BOZ pumped ruffly $250 million into the currency market to stabilize the Kwacha against major currencies.
The solutions you brought up on #14 and #15 are quick fix solutions which will not work.
#17, let me get this straight and I will be grateful if you could educate me on this, are you saying no matter how bad the situ gets we can not dig into our reserves? If thats true, then its akin to having an extra bag of mealie meal on reserve in the house that no one touches no matter how hunger pummels that home…..I might not understand the economic jarggon and complexities but it surely would not make sense to the child in that house that it can not eat because the mealie meal available is for reserve….what tha bombaklaaat mon!!
#19, USA is pretty much in the same boat and are using similar solutions to create jobs, whether quick fix or not. Anyway, I will be more than glad to hear you suggestions.
Uwakwisano
#19, USA is pretty much in the same boat and are using similar solutions to create jobs, whether quick fix or not. Anyway, I will be more than glad to hear you suggestions.
Comparing the USA and Zambia is like comparing apples and oranges. You are trying to compare two very different economies which require two very different outcomes.
What you talked about concerning tourism would be subject to a lot of sunk costs. A robust advertisement program during this recession will not attract the tourism volume to the figure you are expecting. The tourism board is currently doing a good job and are expecting even greater tourism traffic by next year and 2010. The tourism board is fine.
Concerning farming, no matter how much irrigation…
#18 Uwakwisano nice one. You got me thinking there! Didn`t mean Pete no!
#19, if $250mn was used to shore up our currency then now obviously it did not work, did it mate? It was a terrible discision and I say so because inspite of this action, the kwacha is at its record all time low against the dollar………free-market capitalist, why cant we take even half of our reserves and strategically bolster the economy through meaningful, taxable employment creation?
cont..
Concerning farming, no matter how much irrigation infrastructure you create, we will not have food security unless urban dwellers stop rioting whenever the maize price shoots up. If the maize price shoots up causing mealie meal prices to rise, buy cassava, go to a chigayo and meal that. Cheaper and might I add, healthy.
Farmers cannot make profit from farming maize simply because the maize price is too low. This leads to many commercial farmers growing tobacco, wheat and chillies because this brings greater profit than maize. Banks do not want to lend to farmers due to this very reason, the maize price is too low and banks feel there is a greater rate of default. This has also led to a rural urban drift as rural…
This has also led to a rural urban drift as rural dwellers earn more working in the mines than they would growing maize.
If you want food security, let the maize price be decided by market forces, if the maize price shoots up, don’t riot, find alternatives. Eat Cassava meal or Rice. If farmers can make profit, bankers will lend to them. If farmers can make profits, they’ll be able to pay there workers and will not need FSP as they will be able to buy there own fertilizer and NCZ will also thrive.
As of now, commercial farmers will continue growing wheat, tobacco and chillies whilst urban dwellers cry for lower mealie meal prices depriving the rural areas of a reasonable means of earning income.
my other comment before this one is awaiting moderation
Situmbeko from the skys the truth of the matter is that more Zambians than you have pointed out have lost jobs and from where stand, Mopani and KCM are still firing and retrenching. Listen to the ignorance from the labour minister liato on TV yesterday. Mining companies are still laying off workers. Matter of facts, chaps who invested in Mopani Copper Mines have found safe havens and greener pastures in the DRC copper rich Kantanga. Get your records straight otherwise I pit you. Mining machines may be heading towards Katanga and there is nothing your underpaid cops will do at the checkpoints. Hear me right!!!!
#22, I beg to differ with you there….yes USA and Zambia are like chalk and cheese but the basic problem that we are facing are fundamentaly the same. We both have people losing jobs, translating into loss of revenue for government, shrinking domestic markets for our local goods and services and if we sit back and wait for recovery plan from Obama to trickle down to our people, I am afraid we will simply have no people to talk about. Disease and hunger would have taken over. Basically all I am saying is, we need our own stimulus package that will utilise the skilled man-power that unfortunately has found itself on the streets. We need to put money back into peoples pockets, yes even if its the money currently in our reserves, we need it to directly work for the people as they pay back to
Uwakwisano
if $250mn was used to shore up our currency then now obviously it did not work, did it mate?
I don’t know what made you make this statement but the money was poured when the Kwacha was in the K5,000-K6000 range. It is trading at roughly K5,560. The pouring of the money worked as the currency is trading freely at the K5,500 mark.
The figures are at the BOZ website for you to verify.
Uwakwisano
concerning your comment on #26.
The govt is working at curbing the effects of the credit crunch. There is MFEZ of which anyone regardless of whether they are local or foreign can take part in. The aim of MFEZ is too develop a manufacturing base of which agro-processing and manufacturing of small appliances will be done. There is also the measures put in place in terms of agriculture which include FSP as well as no tax on any agriculture capital inputs.
I told you that the tourism board is doing a good job as tourism traffic is expected to increase greatly by 2010.
There are measures being put in place. You just choose not to see them.
cont.
There is also the development of a bio-fuel industry taking place which will uplift the lives of many.
Prepare for hard times ahead.
Stage 1-We awoke up one morning in the early 1990’s to find that government Department had been targeted for “restructuring”
Stage 2-The catch word was corporatisation.The clever folk explained to us that this would increase efficiency.We said oh good.
Stage 3-We awoke a few morning later to see a new word in the paper.It was privatisation.The learned ones told us that this would increase efficiency,we said good.
Stage 4-We awoke and upon reading the morning paper,see a new word apear-shares.At this point I smelled a rat.
#22 contd…pay back to government through taxes. We can’t fold our arms and wait, hence my suggestions on #14 and 15. I am not saying these are perfect….but what is short term about re-training a retrenched technician, engineer or whatever into lecturer at an exisiting or new college? What is short term about investing into irrigation to empower farmers for all-season farming?
Your point on ZNTB is not valid, if you think will attract tourists with current level of advertising, then you must be dreaming. More so now when cash is hard to come by, tourist will go to places which guarantee value for money and you definitely do not do that by flighting the current adverts about Zambia. I am not saying ZNTB is incompetent but rater that they not properly funded, read my posting again!!
Anyway I have to go. Have a great day everybody.
just one last comment before I go.
Your point on ZNTB is not valid, if you think will attract tourists with current level of advertising, then you must be dreaming.
I am just going by the figures. The govt is working at removing bureaucracies in the tourism industry. Tourism traffic is expected to greatly increase by 2010 and Zambia is in the top 25 as one of the best places to visit.
My point here is there is no point in over-funding an organ that is already doing a good job when the money can be used in other sectors.
This is how Zambia was tricked out.
1.Restructure Government Department
2.Corporatisation
3.Privatisation
4.Shares-initially only 49% overseas
5.Shares- increase to over 51% overseas
6.Investors from overseas
Notice now,that without these investors,your country will collapse economically as you have been already cleverly conned into the selling up your major assets.
#27,Free Market Economy….”the money was poured when the kwacha was in the K5000-K6000 range. It is now trading roughly at K5,560″ ..well mate and your point being? If the $250m could not bring the kwacha below the 5000 level where it was trading even before, then what was the point? Lets not complicate a fairly basic need…..people need jobs and we have a bit of cash on the side, whats the way forward?
Have ever wondered why it is that when you elect a politician to power,he never seems to keep his pre-election promises?Why is this?
Many of them are highly honourable people yet when they arrive at the hall of power,they are quietly taken to one sideand given a list of the conditionalities policies to read.
Politicians today are trapped and therefore are merely allowed to decide on menial subject as:
1)Should the shops be allowed to open on Sundays?
2)Should all prams and carriage be fitted with seat belts?
3)Should we increase the benefits to former leaders?etc.etc.
Former President Bill Clinton told an audience that the biggest challenge of the current generation would be to “move from interdependence to integration”
The world is interdependent today, economically, politically, even to a degree ideologically.
INDEPENDENCE is now an illusion.
The economic meltdown is merely a means to an end. It is being done deliberately, at the very highest levels to achieve a well-planned outcome. What outcome is that? Global rule over all banking, of course.
Firstly, I am very much disappointed with “He said government had this year lowered some taxes in some aspects of the mining sector so as to curb job losses” for this move is retrogressive. I long for a time when Zambia will have leaders who will stand by their principles and do what is right for the country properly. The current behaviour of being flip-flops is worrying though it is understandable that grandparent President RB Banda and Dr Musokotwane are new to the GRZ in terms of running it while we as Zambians lost former President LP Mwanawasa and former Finance and National Planning Minister Magande in his new capacity as an ordinary MP.
Did the police abduct Fr Kaoma?
A Kitwe Catholic priest who staged a lone protest for the reinstatement of Frank Bwalya as Radio Icengelo station manager has disappeared.
Father George Kaoma on Sunday staged a lone protest in Kitwe but was allegedly abducted.
Confirming the disappearance of his supporter, Fr Bwalya told a local radio station that he suspects that the Zambia police picked him up.
Fr Bwalya said that Fr. Kaoma was abducted by unknown people late afternoon on Sunday.
He said Monday morning that the whereabouts of Fr Kaoma has not yet been established and no one had thus far claimed responsibility.
Fr Bwalya hoped that his colleague is safe where ever he might be.
ba graduate twalacitashani. we need new job. twalatampa ukumwibila ka!