BOOST EMERALD INDUSTRY, STATE URGED

By SANFROSSA MANYINDA GOVERNMENT should come up with conducive policies that will attract investment and revamp the emerald industry, Emerald and Small-Scale Mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ) president Victor Kalesha has said. Mr Kalesha said it was time for the mining towns especially Lufwanyama to start benefitting from the mineral sharing mechanism. He said this needed clear implementation and capable leaders to help lobby for the implementation from the government. Mr Kalesha however regretted that out of over 500 mining rights in Lufwanyama, less than five were fully operational. “This is the trend we need to address as a country if we are to see meaningful development in the industry and the country as a whole. “We need to engage the people who understands the industry well so that job opportunities could be created to many youths in the mining towns,” he said. Mr Kalesha said the mineral sharing mechanism was important because it would bring a lot of developments to the six chiefdoms in Lufwanyama if well handled. He expressed the need for the government to engage the emerald mining companies to work with in taking up corporate social responsibility projects in areas that people needed development and distribute it equally in all chiefdoms. Mr Kalesha indicated that prioritising skills training facilities as a way of empowering citizens to self-employment was important as it would be a long-term empowerment.