- President says Govt wants proper control of mineral
MATHEWS MALAZIKA
Lusaka
IN HIS relentless efforts to sanitise the mining sector, President Hakainde Hichilema says he does not want Zambia’s mineral wealth to create “rivers of blood” as the case is in other African countries.
The head of State said Zambia has come to know that it has enough gold, which his administration is trying to manage properly.
He was speaking at State House yesterday when he received letters of credence from ambassadors and high commissioners from Germany, Japan, Ghana, Namibia and Colombia.
President Hichilema said Zambia is learning from Ghana how the West African nation has managed the gold mineral resource.
He said President John Mahama will be coming to Zambia and he believes that will be confirmed soon.
“We would like to spend more time, when President Mahama comes, on how we can work together on joint investments and experiences on the gold side.”
He added: “We have the fortune and misfortune that the country didn’t know that we have so much gold. We are trying to manage gold properly, and I’m sure you have followed since you’ve been here the sort of things we are doing.
“We don’t want minerals to create rivers of blood as it has happened in other African countries. We want to deliver value for our people.”
The head of State said his administration’s desire is to ensure that the mineral resources deliver value to citizens, learning from Ghana how it has managed the gold sector.
Mr Hichilema also said Zambia and Namibia share a lot in common and has the opportunity to do more in various sectors, such as transport.
“With our sister African countries, we need to invest more in Africa-to-Africa businesses. Africa is a continent that does the least business with itself, it cannot be right.
“Yes, this ceremony is an ice, but behind this ceremony, we must see more joint ventures together. Our Kazungula Bridge with Namibia, the corridor around there, we need to invest and attract others to invest with us to improve opportunities for jobs,” he said.
Further, the President said a compressive economic partnership programme is what his Government wants to see with countries like Japan and Germany, thanking the two nations for supporting Zambia’s debt restructuring process, which is above 90 percent.
On Colombia, President Hichilema called for deepened relationship between the two countries and their peoples…https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
