Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Action Aid Zambia has reiterated that it is wrong for multinational mining companies to arm twist government into changing tax policies.
Action aid country director Pamela Chisanga says there is room for negotiations to look at how the country can have effective tax measures that can benefit the country and also make businesses for mining companies.
Ms. Chisanga notes that the stance that Barrick Gold Lumwana mine are taking does not provide an opportunity for a level platform for negotiation with government.
She adds that government has been in discussions with these companies for a long time and that they have consulted with these companies in the past citing that they do not see anything wrong with further consultations if they are any issues with the current resume that has been proposed by government.
Ms. Chisanga says they believe that the technocrats that sat to propose the measures took into consideration a lot of things and if there is anything that was taken out of contest, the mining companies need to bring them out and not to rush of threatening to pull out.
She further states that the mining company should realize that the country needs to get a fair share of the revenue hence should bear in mind that whatever measures are instituted are for both Zambians and the investors to benefit.