MOPANI REVIVAL PAYING OFF

By ROGERS KALERO

MOPANI Copper Mines (MCM) Board Chairman and International Resource Holdings (IRH) Chief Operations Officer Ravi Sharma has said the revival of the giant mining company has brought money in the country’s economy because the new investor, IRH has invested a lot of money in the operations of the mining company and was paying suppliers and contractors on time
Ms Sharma said because MCM was now able to pay suppliers and contractors on time, some drinking places and hotels which were usually empty were now having a business because people have money to spend
Mr Sharma was speaking during a recent Mopani Copper Mines PLC stakeholder engagement meeting at Garden Court Hotel (NAPSA Hall).
It was attended by Kitwe Mayor Mpasa Mwaya, Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Lawrence Mwanza, Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga as wekk as Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe.
Mr Sharma said IRH was here to contribute to the growth and development of the mining sector and also ensure that the miners were properly remunerated and motivated to work hard and increase production
“We are not here to retrench the miners or replace miners with modern technology. No,we are here to work together to develop the mining sector. This is why we have invested a lot of money in the operations of the MCM and we are paying the suppliers and contractors on time
I can tell you that IRH has invested a lot of money in the operations of the mining company and was paying suppliers and contractors on time. MCM was now able to pay suppliers and contractors on time.
This is why some drinking places and hotels which were usually empty were now having a business because people have money to spend,’’ Mr Sharma said
Mr Sharma said IRH was an integrated international resource company with investments in Tanzania, Mozambique and now in Zambia where its presence was being felt through investment in the operations at MCM.
He said IRH was in Zambia for long term business and that various stakeholders like suppliers, contractors, mine workers unions and others should support it in its efforts of developing MCM
“We decided to invest in Zambia because Zambia is a good country. We are sure that stakeholders like Government, contractors, suppliers and mine workers unions will support us,’’ Mr Sharma said.