By MILDRED KATONGO –
THE Government has resolved to engage the small scale miners commonly known as ‘jerabos’ to mine at the mine-slug known as the black mountain under a legal structure.
Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo, who led a delegation of five ministers, said the small-scale miners agreed to work with the Government and that the operations at the black mountain would be under a legal entity.
Mr Kampyongo, however, warned that there should not be any violent activities in the way small-scale miners operated the black mountain and that the move would enable the Mines Ministry to monitor the operations.
“It is Government’s desire to empower the youth and we have resolved that the black mountain be operated under a legal entity under the Ministry of Mines.
“To this cause, we will not allow violent activities by the small-scale miners and we want them to live like the other citizens. We are glad they have agreed to work with us and this will help us monitor their activities easily,” he said.
He said Government depended on mining activities for economic growth and that it would not allow unlawful operations.
Mr Kampyongo also said that his three day tour to the Copperbelt was a success saying that the main issues they wanted to address on the mine operations were resolved.
He said Government would continue to engage the mining firms so that there was compliance and that workers mainly the locals benefited.
Mr Kampyongo said he wanted to see investors employ the locals as well as giving back to communities through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
He said the move was also creating investor confidence and that Government would continue to support them.