By Mercy Chewe
The Government has challenged mining firms to give more business opportunities to local suppliers and contractors.
Speaking when First Quantum Minerals Limited donated land to the Government in Ndola on Thursday, Lands Minister Elijah Muchima said the trend of mining firms subcontracting foreign firms that are also engaging other foreigners was not progressive.
Dr. Muchima told FQML Country Manager Dr. Godwin Beene that Zambians need a share of businesses in the mining sector.
“We know that FQML is a big employer, big in doing business with local suppliers and local businesses but here you need to improve,” he said.
“You bring my colleagues from South Africa and they also give business only to their fellow South Africans. We need a share as Zambians,” Dr. Muchima said.
This week, a consortium of Zambian suppliers in the Copperbelt and North Western Provinces threatened to petition the Government over their concerns regarding TradeCorp, a South African firm that supplies items to the Lumwana Mine.
Last month, local contractor Mundia Lubinda wrote an open letter to President Hakainde Hichilema urging the Government to look at the issues surrounding TradeCorp, a South African company dominating supply of goods to Lumwana Mine.
In reaction, another local supplier Sitali Mweemba issued a media statement asking the government to ensure that local entities are not sidelined from business by foreigners at Lumwana Mine.
Meanwhile, Copperbelt based Good Governance Activist Peter Mulenga has been asking the Government to take keen interest in the complaints raised by local suppliers over the alleged lack of adequate business opportunities in the mining sector.
