ZCCM-HI laxity to commence Gwembe oil exploration, worry Chief Sinazongwe

By OLIVER SAMBOKO

THE lack of interest in fully exploring the existence of oil deposits in the Gwembe oil block has irked Chief Sinazongwe who believes that some people within ZCCM-IH with vested interests were sabotaging the exercise.

He wondered why despite several calls and pleas from the traditional leadership and other stakeholders to kick start the exploration, ZCCM-HI has remained adamant and seemingly refused to do so.

The traditional leader said suspicions are high that maybe some officials in the ministry of mines have some hidden interests in the oil discovery no wonder up to now no progress has been achieved to date, almost two years after the small boys herding animals at Jongolo mountain discovered greasy substances on the river bed.

Chief Sinazongwe said the people are tired of waiting for a report from the government on the discovery and therefore called for the speeding up of the process so that the country can start benefitting from the natural resources.

He said the country is looking for cheap source crude oil, and therefore the supposedly discovery of oil in Gwembe and in some other parts of the country could be the solution.

The Chief has since called on government to consider suspending the prospecting licence for oil exploration in Gwembe given to ZCCM- IH, so that the area can be re advertised.

According to a sample collected by the Daily Nation in 2020, and submitted to the Copperbelt University for analysis, it was found to contain 4.0955 percent oil which experts described as a very good yield.

The Gwembe oil was discovered by a group of boys herding cattle near the mountains who alerted the traditional leadership in the area on the oily substance in the Jongolo mountains and river bed.