By JOHN KOMBE
INCONSISTENCIES in mining policy framework has robbed the country of the benefits that it could get from its rich mineral wealth, Green Party president, Peter Sinkamba has said.
In an interview, Mr. Sinkamba said that the lack of continuity that comes with change of government has led to the existing confusion in the mining sector.
He was commenting on the recent revelations by the Minister of Mines, Mr Paul Kabuswe that gold mining exploration companies were illegally mining and that some were exporting raw manganese among other issues.
Mr. Sinkamba observed that the mining sector has lagged behind because of lack of policy direction that results from lack of consideration for strategic directions that the previous governments were undertaking.
He cited the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) policy framework which was formally established by the African Union in 2009 as one framework that has never been domesticated since the framework and requisite templates were handed over to Zambia among other countries.
He said that Zambia was part of this framework which was initiated through the AU team that he and some other Zambians were a part of.
Mr. Sinkamba disclosed that the AMV was formally established to promote equitable, broad-based development through the prudent utilisation of the continent’s natural wealth.
He therefore wondered why Zambia had not yet implemented such a promising strategic framework.
He lamented that Zambia has never implemented the policy since the time of the late President Levy Mwanawasa and that this can be blamed on the lack of consultation and continuity by successive governments.
He said that unless the narrative changes, Zambia shall continue to lose out on the benefits that would accrue in the mining sector.
Mr. Sinkamba said that it was not surprising to note that some mining exploration companies were mining gold with impunity. He said that this cannot be stopped without a clear policy framework.
Mr. Sinkamba said it would not be wrong to speculate that some companies were exporting gold and manganese and labeling it as copper ore.
He said that these loopholes can only be sealed when the country has a clear policy framework on mining.
He advised the government to stop firefighting and get to the root of the problem. He appealed to the government to call for a mining “indaba” that would help to chart the way forward.
