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The Federation of Small Scale Miners of Zambia (FSSMAZ) has appealed to government to increase budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Mines.
According to the Federation president Joseph Mwansa, this will enable the ministry to have presence across the country.
He explained that funding to the Ministry of Mines would translate into increased economic activities within the sector and ultimately cross cutting into others.
Mwansa said in an interview on Friday that the structure of funding needed to change.
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“Once everything is in place, Zambia will change economically. Zambia is a small nation both in population and land mass but rich in natural resources.
“The only thing that is remaining is to manage our resources efficiently and effectively. Team work will put our nation where it belongs. The funding makes it impossible for the ministry to function well,” he said.
Mwanza said the Ministry of Mines was responsible of an industry which was the highest earner of foreign exchange and one of the highest providers of employment.
This, he said, made the ministry a backbone of Zambia’s economy.
Mwansa also said the federation appreciated the Ministry of Mines’ balanced efforts in the manner they were managing the ministry.
Previously, he recalled, consultations and constructive engagements with stakeholders such as the Federation were absent.
“So far this approach by the line ministry towards the mining sector is fine. In order to effect change on certain things, it takes a process and may require more time.
“For our sector to change and meet the production target of copper as pronounced by the Minister of Mines, Government needs to change one or two things,” Mwansa said.
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