Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
MMD President Nevers Mumba has charged that haphazard policies of the PF Government have put 4,000 workers and 8,000 contractors at risk of losing their livelihood in view of the impending closure of Lumwana Mine in Solwezi.
Dr Mumba says the closure of the mine will affect over 70,000 people, using the current average family size of 6.
He says this is not counting the reduction in economic activity downstream, as the goods and services consumed by the workers and contractors shrink considerably, leading to a loss in government revenues.
Dr Mumba told a rally in Solwezi that during the time he was Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada, he was leader of the negotiation team that brought Barrick-Gold into Zambia through the purchase of Lumwana mine, an $8 billion investment that was the largest in a decade in the entire Africa.
He said he would enter into cordial negotiations with Barrick-Gold with a view to producing a win-win situation where their impending exit would be forestalled and government mining tax revenue improved.
Dr Mumba adds that the same negotiations would apply to all other mining companies as necessary.
Dr Mumba also promised to work hard to reduce the price of mealie-meal in the shortest possible time and give free education to Zambians up to grade 12.
He further promised a return of fertilizer and fuel subsidies.