SIMUKONDA CLAIMS MOPANI HANDOVER DONE IN HASTE

MINING Expert Edward Simukonda has said that the handover of Mopani Copper Mines to IRH by the Government has been done in haste and can have serious implications.

Mr. Simukonda said he did not understand why the Government was in such a hurry to hand over the mine to IRH without looking at the pros and cons of the takeover.

He said that he did not want to be a prophet of doom and hoped that the takeover would yield positive results for the people on the Copperbelt.

He said that he hoped that there was no repeat of what happened in the past when the investors ditched the mine after misunderstandings with the Government.

He said he hoped that the Government had done its homework and that the takeover would be smooth sailing so that the Copperbelt could get back to its glory days.

“I’m very sceptical because I feel the Government kind of did the hand over in a haste but as a patriotic Zambian, I hope the hand over will yield positive results,” he said.

He urged IRH to ensure that it went in flat out to ensure that it concentrated on ramping up production.

He said that the people of the Copperbelt expected a lot from the investor and that it was up to them to prove their worth adding that it was high time Mopani was revamped because thousands of miners were on the brink of becoming destitute.

The mining expert said he really did not understand why the process was conducted in the manner they did but that he hoped that the investor would rise to the occasion.