The Emerald Association of Zambia has urged the youths and women if Lufwanyama to be patient over the empowerment on emerald dumpsite in the emerald restricted area.
Association President Victor Kalesha has told Money FM News that this is because the government has to engage the company involved.
Mr. Kalesha says the association has received numerous calls and complaints that the youths of Lufwanyama have been sidelined in terms of empowerment.
“We would like to assure the youths and women in Lufwanyama that government is making sure that no one is left behind in the empowerment programs but we have to do the right thing in ensuring procedures are followed. It is not just a matter of giving out the dumpsite like that, procedures needs to be followed like engaging the company involved, make sure that the major beneficiaries are Lufwanyama residents, safety and security measures needs to be put in place before the giving of the dumpsite is put in effect,” he said.
He said the association is doing everything possible to make this a reality because it will also build capacity for the association and help in procuring the much desired exploration equipment out of the proceeds from the dumps.
“We would like to appeal to government through the ministry of mines to expedite the process of engaging Kagem where we have the 25% stake to release the dumpsite,” said Mr. Kalesha.
“We should turn these young men into entrepreneurs from being illegal miners by empowering them to benefit from what belongs to them as Zambians.”
Mr. Kalesha has emphasized that there will be no better time to empower Zambians than this time.
“I would also like to appeal to our colleagues empowered with small scale licences in Chingola that they shouldn’t consider it party time with the proceeds earned from there but rather think outside the box and use the money wisely to become permanent entrepreneurs. We ask humbly for the green mountain at Kagem so as to empower our people,” he said.