Govt to give 30pc shares in Black Mountain to youths – Mines PS

GOVERNMENT may consider giving out its 30 per cent shares in the black mountain to the youth in Kitwe following the High Court Judgement that allowed it to pull out of its partnership with Nkana Alloy and Smelting Company Limited, Ministry of Mines Permanent Secretary, Barnaby Mulenga has said. Following the court judgement last week, Government remained with 30 percent share in the black mountain after it gave out its 10 percent to youths three years ago. Mr. Mulenga said the ministry would next week issue a statement on how it would manage the 30 percent shares.   He was speaking in an interview in Kitwe in response to calls by youths engaged in small-scale mining asking Government to hand over the shares to them, Earlier, Chapamo Mineral Resources Director, Kelvin Tembo appealed to the government to once again give youths part of its stake in the black mountain to cushion them from the adverse effects of Covid-19. Mr. Tembo said if given the opportunity to mine from the black mountain again, youths would ensure that safety measures are put in place to avoid any form of accidents.  “Accidents were bound to happen because at that time the mining operations were in their infancy but now we have learnt quite a lot,” Mr. Tembo said. Last week, the Lusaka High Court granted Government a go ahead to pull out of Nkana Alloy and Smelting Company Limited and repossess 30 percent of the black mountain. Three years ago, the government gave youths in Kitwe 10 percent of the black mountain for mining activities which have since been exhausted. – ZANIS.