Government has not given back Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to Vedanta Resources, President Hakainde Hichilema has clarified.
The President has urged Zambians not to take serious social media postings about KCM.
Speaking when he arrived in Ndola on the Copperbelt for a one day visit, President Hichilema said Government has only engaged the mining investor to see how issues at the firm can be resolved outside Court.
He said Government wants to bring in investors that will invest in the Konkola Deep Mining Project to ensure increased production.
President Hichilema said the new dawn administration is keen on resolving all issues in the Mining Sector to ensure mineral resources begin to benefit Zambians.
The President also emphasized that Government will not allow illegal mining activities, the reason the Ministry of Mines is working on issuance of mining licences.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema has directed councils to ensure prudent use of resources.
The Head of State said government has dealt with cadres who were collecting money in the markets and bus stations and it is important that Councils do more with the money being collected.
He said there is need to ensure money collected is channeled to cleaning of towns to avoid any Cholera outbreaks.
And Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo said the people on the Copperbelt are happy that the new dawn administration is uniting Zambians.
Meanwhile President Hichilema has directed Local Authorities in the country to improve service delivery.
The President said this shortly after arrival at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola.
President Hichilema said government had restored sanity to the councils by allowing them to collect levies from bus stations and markets unlike in the past.
The President who is accompanied by Agriculture Minister, Reuben Mtolo, said his Government is determined to fight corruption and recover resources that were stolen from the Zambian people.
He added that the fight against corruption is not a tribal matter but rather an exercise aimed at recovering the country’s resources.
President Hichilema has also revealed that his government has started unlocking mines by creating an environment that will enable miners to benefit from minerals.
He said government wants Zambian small scale miners to conduct legal and safe mining. He also said the UPND government was determined to put agriculture at the centre of this country’s economic revival by directing more investment in agriculture because food production is very important, President Hichilema has said.
