By KETRA KALUNGA
IT would be folly for the government to assume that it can run the mines because parastatal companies which are cardinal in fostering development are performing poorly, the Private Sector Development Association (PSDA) has said.
PSDA chairperson, Yusuf Dodia said the government would not be able to run the mines because parastatal organisations which are the main agent of development were struggling to operate.
Mr Dodia in an interview cited the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as one parastatal company that was struggling to implement useful investment which would build the nation.
‘For the government to assume that it can run the mines, I think that would be folly, because we have seen how parastatals have run, we have seen how IDC is running, they are billing companies instead of investing in useful investment,” he said.
‘’They are buying private companies that don’t make sense as far as public sector investment is concerned,’’ he said.
And Mr. Dodia said it was important for the government to come up with a position on the future of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).
He suggested that a position which would be more sensible to most Zambians would be that of KCM being offered to an investor whether local or foreign who has capacity to run the mine.
Mr. Dodia however cautioned against giving the mine to local investors who don’t have enough money as doing so would be allowing the investment to deteriorate.
‘’We need to look for an investor who has money, if there are local investors who can raise the money to invest in, it is well and good but as statistics show, it is very likely to be foreign investors because Zambians are failing to raise as little as US$10 million investment.
He urged the government to clearly state its position on the future of KCM as soon as possible because Zambians were eager to know the fate of the mine which is under liquidation.
