By KETRA KALUNGA
CONDUCT an audit of the mines and leverage on its mineral resources because a nation that has gold can’t be borrowing, says the Movement for National Transformation (MNT).
MNT founding President, Daniel Shimunza said the government must do an audit of the mining sector to maximise revenue because it makes no sense that the country that has mineral resources has continued to borrow.
Dr. Shimunza said in an interview that Zambia is not a poor country because it’s blesssed with mineral resources and should leverage that advantage to grow the economy.
“We need an audit, the government must do an audit of the mining sector, a country that has gold can’t be borrowing money as the PF did. As we are trying to get money from IMF when in actual fact we have got mineral resources. We are not a poor country, we need to know to leverage what we have to get what we don’t have,” he said.
He said it’s unfortunate that the poverty levels in a country that has mineral resources are above 42 percent with a small population of 18 million people.
Dr. Shimunza has urged the government to ensure a win-win situation where those offering help either as a multinational corporation or under foreign direct investment work with Zambians.
He said Zambians need a leadership that is going to bring reforms in the mining policy and are able to galvanise the nation and look after the country’s abundant natural resources.
He also appealed to traditional leaders in mining areas to prioritise giving consent of operation to Zambians as a way of growing the economy.
“We need to empower our people in the next 10 years, Zambians must migrate from being workers in the mining sector to owning the mines. We don’t need foreigners to come and exploit us under nationalisation and under privatisation,” Dr. Shimunza said.
