NUMAW NODS GOVT’S CANCELLATION OF MINING IN LOWER ZAMBEZI

By ADRIAN MWANZA

THE National Union for Miners and Allied Workers has commended the government for halting the mining activity in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

NUMAW national treasurer Saul Simunjika said that the issue was marred with a lot of issues and that the government needed to be commended for its due diligence.

Mr. Simunjika said that the government needed to be commended for taking a bold step of halting the mining activities in the game reserve.

He said that the move would be able to look into other facets of life which hinges on the environment.

“It is a good thing that the government has decided to halt the mining because there were a number of loose holes that needed to be dealt with,” he said.

He said that the move would also help preserve nature as mining had a negative impact on the environment.

In May 2023, Government ordered mining company Mwembeshi Resources Ltd to immediately halt all activities on the $494 million copper project it was developing in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Minister of Green Economy Collins Nzovu said the company had violated a number of environmental conditions pertaining to the Kangaluwi copper mine.

The Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) served the company with a compliance order to stop mining-related activities and the construction of roads and buildings at the project.