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Democratic Union (DU) leader, Ackim Njobvu, has called for the establishment of the Mining Investment Agency (MIA) to over see mining activities for small-scale miners and marketing various minerals on their behalf.
Njobvu also noted the need for the government to urgently formalise mining activities for small scale miners and provide them with resources, such as blocks for mining and machinery, to ensure a safer and more productive mining sector.
In an interview with Zambia Monitor, Njobvu urged the government to also stop referring to their activities as illegal but find ways and means of helping them discover the right markets.
He emphasized the need for the government to help local miners access better markets and benefits from their activities.
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“We understand that some of these people have been supporting families through such activities and what we saw last week in North Western Province where 8 small scale miners died and others in Chingola fought running battles should never repeat itself,” Njobvu said.
He highlighted the importance of formalizing mining activities to prevent accidents and ensure that miners were protected.
“There is need for the government to formalize the mining sector in order to bring order and structure to the industry, and to help miners access better resources and markets, provide assistance and resources to help them succeed and benefit from their activities,” he said.
Njobvu called for a collaborative approach between the government and local miners to achieve these goals and to ensure that the benefits of mining were shared equitably.
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