By MILLENNIUM REPORTER
MINING Expert Augustine Mubanga has called on government to urgently address the problem non-payment of contractors and supplies who are withdrawing labour if aspirations to increase copper production to 3 million metric tonnes has to be actualized.
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Mr Mubanga says there is need for government to ensure that money owed to contractors and suppliers in the mining sector is urgently settled so that production does not get affected by labour withdrawal.
He said failure to pay off contractors and suppliers in the mining sector was likely to dim the aspiration to increase copper production to 3 million metric tonnes.
Mr Mubanga said the fact that local business people had challenges in participating in the opportunities presented by the mining sector should worry government whose aim was to increase copper production especially that its prices were likely to flourishing.
“The limited participation of local suppliers and contractors in the mining sector will affect copper production as they are equally part of the equation,” Mr Mubanga said.
And Mr Mubanga has also observed that it has become a challenge for mines to receive products on agreed dates due to non-payment of contractual obligations to suppliers and contractors.
He said there is need to treat Zambian contractors fairly in comparison to foreign ones.
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