SCOTT
By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA
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GOVERNMENT has demanded the involvement of more local goods as
opposed to foreign in business engagement between the mines and local
suppliers.
Vice-President Guy Scott said Government was concerned that while a
lot of suppliers to the mines were locals, most of the goods involved in their business with the mines were foreign.
Dr Scott said Government remained committed to ensuring that the local
content programme, which sought to promote the interest of local
suppliers and contractors succeeded.
“It has turned out that suppliers are Zambians but the actual goods
are foreign coming from countries like South Africa.
‘‘We have made ourselves dependent on foreign goods and this way, we
are not getting the spin-offs from the mining industry benefiting the
locals,” Dr Scott said.
He said this in Kitwe yesterday when he opened a two-day Mining
Copperbelt Trade and Expo Conference held at Mist Gardens.
Dr Scott said it was a pity that even with Government’s emphasis on
local content, most of the goods involved were still foreign.
The vice-president reiterated Government’s commitment to supporting
the growth of the mining industry stressing that the nation ought to
be top in the region in mining.
Dr Scott, however, pointed out the need for mining firms to operate
within the law in aspects of environmental requirements and
payments of statutory obligations.
Dr Scott said Government had the right to know what was taking place in the mines
in order to protect the interests of employees.
The vice-president expressed happiness with the high level of
participation at the trade exhibition programme.
Co-organiser of the conference, David Asdown said the idea for
staging the trade exhibition was to create a platform for business
linkages in the mining industry.
He said mining trade and expo conference had attracted more than 90
exhibitors which included both local and international.
Dr Scott’s entourage comprised of Mines, Energy and Water Development
Minister, Christopher Yaluma, Home Affairs Minister Ngosa Simbyakula
and Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge.
