By Isaac Zulu
Private Sector Development Association chairperson Yusuf Dodia has observed that Zambians are not getting value from the mining sector.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Dodia explained that the UPND government has rolled out a red carpet to foreign investors in the mining sector in the 2023 national budget, with high dependency on copper mining.
“And I think there is nothing wrong in opening up new mines such as nikel, manganese and others. I have noticed that currently we are exporting $40 million per day in copper, but if we were to encourage the mining of other minerals, we would be exporting $60 to $70 million. My worry is that Zambians are not getting value from the mining sector,” Dodia explained. “In the 2023 national budget government has rolled out a red carpet to foreign investors in the mining sector. And I think that that is what the minister (of finance) forgot to touch on. Maybe he is leaving that challenge to another day. But I hope that he will address it within 12 months so that we don’t continue leaving all mining activities in foreign hands, but also involve the local people.”
He also said that the projected revenue targets are more realistic in the 2023 national budget compared to the 2022 budget, which he said was ambitious.
Dodia explained that it is gratifying to note that the UPND administration has channeled a lot of resources towards the social sector and governance.
“These are key fundamentals in stabilising the economy,” Dodia said. “And it is also good to note that the financing of the budget will not largely depend on the international community.”
He applauded government for reinstating meal allowances for students in public universities, but was also quick to say that government should have done away with attachment and placement fees for medical students.
“The meal allowances for students is good news and welcome. But I expected government to do away with attachment and placement fees for medical students. These students are giving a service to the government and one wonders why they are made to pay fees when they go on attachment,” said Dodia. “I am an engineer myself and when I went in the industry on attachment I was not paying those placement fees, but instead I was getting paid. Architectures are paid, student lawyers get paid and all these other professions it is the same.”
And Dodia said that the removal of subsidies on electricity tariffs and fuel will lead to the increase in the cost of energy, which he said will negatively impact on the development of industries in the country.
