By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Richard Musukwa has challenged Economist Oliver Saasa to be truthful.
Mr Musukwa said alarming statements by Mr Saasa that Government intends to take over Mopani by force are malicious and worrying.
He was responding to Mr Saasa who accused Government of taking over Mopani using expropriation in some sections of the media.
“If Glencore wrote to us through ZCCM-IH and we responded how is that expropriation? The statement attributed to me in the daily tabloid by Professor Saasa is not true.
‘Government is negotiating the way forward with Glencore on how best the state can buy shares which Glencore holds in Mopani Copper Mines,” he said.
Mr Musukwa said the expropriation occurs when Government takes over property from private hands for the benefit of the people but this is not the case at Mopani.
“Negotiations are ongoing and dialogue has always been key, we can not use force, we Govern based on the rule of law,” he said.
He also said that the Ministry is in receipt of a letter dated 13th July 2020 from Glencore which clearly shows that talks have been on going.
The Minister said it was sad that an academician who is supposed to be professional has chosen to mislead the masses using falsehood.
