Mopani miners to be paid-President Lungu

President Edgar Lungu says a decision has been made to pay miners at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) in the Copperbelt province their terminal benefits.

President Lungu said when he addressed miners at Mopani Copper Mine in Kitwe today that unions should quickly submit the total amount needed to pay workers so that funds can be released.

President Lungu said the miners will be paid for all the years they worked for Glencore Limited so that they start on a newer page, assuring them that the monies to pay them are already in place.

President Lungu said there is already a precedent that was used at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Chingola which should also be used at Mopani.

The Head of State said the miners at Mopani Copper Mines should be treated the same way as their counterparts at KCM.

“We are going to sit down with our colleagues the unions and management so that we source for money to pay you our people as soon as possible,” he said.

President Lungu has also assured the miners of the land which is on western side of the South Ore Body (SOB) that it will be given to them so that they can build houses.

The President said since the board had already made a decision to give land to employees, management and the local authorities should plan and allocate pieces of land to the employees.

President Lungu was responding to concerns by Mine Workers Union of Zambia president Joseph Chewe that miners at Mopani in Kitwe and Mufulira have waited for their money for too long and that President Lungu should intervene.

The other issue that the MUZ president raised was the outstanding loans with Stanbic bank which President Lungu said he will discuss with the Bank of Zambia.

Mr. Chewe also called for the abolishment of contracts in the mining sector so that employees can be engaged on a permanent basis.

He said President Lungu’s decision to allow Zambians to operate the mines will live on for many generations to come.