Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe has implored Zambians to be patient until 2026 to determine whether or not the government would have failed to manage the mining sector which is currently looking gloomy due to the process of rearranging the extractive industry.
And Mr Kabuswe has disclosed that the construction of the electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant will commence in the next 3 months with feasibility studies and other regulatory processes currently underway in Ndola where it will be located.
Mr Kabuswe said the current state of the mining sector is giving him sleepless nights, especially with Copperbelt towns in very bad state economically, with dilapidated infrastructure such as roads.
He hinted at impending legislation to determine social benefits to mining host communities and the threshold of business mines should offer to Zambian companies with most mining assets tipped to be unlocked by the first quarter of 2023 as pronounced by president Hakainde Hichilema last year.
The minister further noted the need to have a motivated workforce in the mining sector, liquidate the over $300 million Konkola Copper Mine owes to suppliers and contractors, create new jobs at legacy mines and reignite the component of corporate social responsibility programs by the mines.
