Kobold invests US$300M in Ming’omba Mine – Amb Gonzalez

By ROGERS KALERO

UNITED States (US) Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales has disclosed that more than US$300 million has been invested at Mingomba Mine by Kobold, an American company operating in Zambia because the country has mineral resources and an enabling environment attractive for investment.
Mr Gonzalez says meaningful investment should benefit the workers, their families and citizens of the country in general through significant corporate social responsibility which will improve the lives of people in areas where an investor operates from.
Mr Gonzales said governments must create an enabling environment for investment to flourish and also put in place laws, regulations and policies that would benefit both the investor and the country and its people to benefit
Mr Gonzales said in Kitwe at Katilungu House yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on the Mine workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) leadership that the US government would not dictate on what it expected from the US investors in Zambia, stating that it was up to the government and the investors to agree on how to proceed
He said mine workers unions should also negotiate for better conditions of service for their members so that they get motivated to work hard and increase production.
“We decided to pay a courtesy call on MUZ and its leadership so that we can understand the mining sector and the role unions play in promoting and safeguarding the interests of miners. We believe that unions have a role to play in representing the interests of miners,” Amb Gonzalez said.
“Government and unions must ensure that investment benefit the workers and their families. Meaningful investment must benefit the workers, their families, the citizens through corporate social responsibility and the nation through tax,” he said.
And speaking earlier, MUZ President Joseph Chewe said he was humbled that the US Ambassador had decided to pay a courtesy on the MUZ and exchange notes on the challenges facing the miners in their operations
Mr Chewe said MUZ was formed in 1948 and has continued to represent the interests of miners and ensure that they were properly remunerated and given better conditions of workers
“We are grateful to Ambassador Gonzales for paying a courtesy call on MUZ at Katiungu House , the miners house. We have discussed a number of issues pertaining to the miners’ interests. If miners are poorly paid, who will be properly paid? “Why should miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) be paid handsomely, while those in Zambia are poorly paid,’’ Mr Chewe said