By NATION REPORTER
LACK of action on the mines in the Copperbelt by the Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe is losing the government US$2 million or K32 million per day, Patriotic Front aspiring president Miles Sampa has said.
Mr Sampa said Mopani Copper Mines in Kitwe and Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) were both operating way below their expected production capacity and estimated to be losing the government US$30m per month, about $1m per day and $50, 000 per hour.
He said this was enough money for the Health Minister to buy drugs which are in short supply and urgently required in all government hospitals.
Mr Sampa said Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe’s lack of action on the two mines in the last one year was partly rendering the entire country paralysed because this reduced funding for medicines and fertiliser.
He said these funds were also enough for the Agriculture Minister to buy the delayed D Compound fertiliser urgently required by rural farmers.
“The inability by the Mines Minister to exercise powers vested in him and act and not talk on the two mines has made it impossible for the two mines to mobilise capital as no bank will extend funds to entities whose ownership status has not been resolved and remains in government’s care taker hands,” he said.
Mr Sampa said worse off for Mr Kabuswe was that one of KCM’s mines was in his constituency, Chililabombwe of the Copperbelt Province and some of the over 7, 000 jobs lost at KCM thus far were in his area. He said as if that was not enough, the long convoy of over 500 trucks marooned due to the clogged unofficially closed Kasumbalesa border in his constituency, was also losing income not only for Chililabombwe residents but the nation and Africa at large.
