Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Amos Chanda – Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations
State House has directed Mopani Copper Mines Management to engage in civil and decent business practices, rather than undertaking actions that would be acts of blackmail against the state.
Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda has told a media briefing that government effected the removal of subsidies in the energy and agriculture sectors and the consumer sector including the poor Zambians have accepted them.
Mr. Chanda however wonders why it has been difficult for the mining company to comply with the new electricity tariffs like just as the other companies and the business community has done.
He has since stated that President Edgar Lungu has directed the Mines Minister Christopher to engage the mine so that for a constructive resolution which will not affect any worker at the mine.
He says the minister of mines should clearly understand what the mining company wants, because the measures it has taken against its employees have been clearly unacceptable.
Meanwhile Mr. Chanda has said that what prompted police to prevent Prayers for the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema earlier, could have been pressure from the police due to the threatened state of emergency in the country.
He says the Party was however allowed to go ahead with the prayers because they are one of their civil rights, as instructed by the Minister of Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili.
He however states that in as much as politicians enjoy their civil rights, they should find better ways of engaging the police on certain matters than frustrating them to an extent where they should skeptical and defensive.