By Staff Writer
Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) has urged Government to negotiate with Mwembeshi Resources to give it alternative land for copper mining instead of Lower Zambezi National Park.
CEJ Head of Research Freeman Mubanga said the investor should accept alternative land if it means well to the Republic of Zambia.
He said the Lower Zambezi fracas has been an issue of contemptuous debate for over 8 years now from the first time then Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Harry Kalaba overruled ZEMA’s decision to disapprove mining in the heart of the Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP).
Mr Mubanga said CEJ understands that there are several Copper deposits dotted around the country where mining can be done as opposed to mining in protected areas.
The CEJ Head of Research siad it is interesting to learn that Zambia is willing to risk losing out on its functional rich ecosystems all because of Copper mining when there are places where such investments can be done without threatening ecologically sensitive areas.
“CEJ is urging the government to identify another site where Mwembeshi Resources can carry out their mining activities and if indeed the mine means well for Zambia’s economic development such a move would the best in trying to seek for a win-win solution,” he said.
Mr Mubanga called on the government to take a deliberate move in trying to ensure that the issue of mining in protected areas was settled.
