A Chipata based Governance Activist has called on the Ministry of Mines to find large scale investors to mine copper and gold that was discovered in Eastern Province.
Maxson Nkhoma has also welcomed a decision by government to dispatch a team of experts to Eastern Province to ascertain reports of illegal mining of copper and gold.
Mr. Nkhoma has told Money FM News via telephone that illegal mining of these two mineral resources have been going on more especially by foreigners.
He said illegal mining is rampant in Petauke, Lundazi, Vubwi and Mambwe which he said should be curbed.
Mr. Nkhoma said there is need therefore for the government to encourage small scale miners in the province to form associations and register with the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development so that they can do legal mining.
“Soon Eastern Province will be called the new Copperbelt because of the discovery of copper and gold. But what we need to do is to encourage our small scale miners to form groups and register with the government so that they can start doing legal mining. There is need also to ensure that we invite large scale miners to invest in the province and create jobs for local people,” he said.
He added that the efforts by the government to bring sanity in mining gold and copper are welcome but that they should ensure that local people benefit.
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