Katumbi seeks explanation over DRC border post blackout
Katumbi seeks explanation over DRC border post blackoutBy Kabanda Chulu and Abigail Chaponda in Kitwe
Tue 14 Sep. 2010, 20:50 CAT
COPPERBELT permanent secretary Villie Lombanya yesterday said the Zambian government was not involved in the recent switching off of electricity at Sakania border post on the DR Congo’s side.
Explaining the presence of DR Congo’s Katanga Province Governor Moise Katumbi in Ndola last week, Lombanya said the standoff that resulted in the closure of the border post was between Frontier Mines and the Congolese government.
“The issue (switching off power) had nothing to do with the Zambian government but it was because of a dispute between First Quantum Minerals-owned Frontier Mines and the DR Congo government which withdrew the mining licence and the mines switched off power at the open-pit, hence affecting surrounding communities including the border post,” said Lombanya.
“Frontier Mines used to buy power from Copperbelt Energy which has a sub-station and transmission lines that side and into the Congo, and when the mines were told to close and leave, they also decided to switch off power, and Katumbi came to see us with a view to helping resolve the issue of which we did and power was restored last Friday.”
And a source at Frontier Mines disclosed that the open-pit had been closed and everyone, including expatriate managers, had started going back to their respective countries.
“People have started going back to their countries, and the situation is bad; the only person to give all the details is the Governor Katumbi,” said the source.
On 1st September 2010, the DR Congo withdrew FQM’s mining licence and ordered the company to stop all mining activities and leave the country, and the titles owned by FQM at Frontier Mines were given to the Congolese government-owned Sodimico Mining.
After the mines closure, FQM chief executive officer Philip Pascall issued a statement, claiming that the DR Congo was retaliating over the FQM’s decision to start the arbitration process regarding its Kolwezi project.
He stated that FQM took the DR Congo government to the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration after the State, in August 2009, revoked its mining licence for the Kolwezi tailings project (a copper/cobalt project in the Katanga Province), where the company had already spent US $750-million in acquiring and developing the property.
“The withdrawal of the exploitation permit for the Frontier mine is contrary to the DR Congo’s laws and the mining code and FQM will continue to advance its rights through international arbitration with respect to the Kolwezi project and now the Frontier mine and will pursue all other legal remedies available against third parties seeking enrichment through interference with First Quantum's legal rights,” stated Pascall.
Labels: BORDER POSTS, DRC, Moses Katumbi, VILLIE LOMBANYA
posted by MrK @ 3:22 AM
2 Comments:
First Quantum exploited we congolese. I am a graduate metallurgist, but I had to work as a plant foreman. We ran the plant like a world class operation and broke all records....YET WE WERE PAID PEANUTS. We had to bed for every pert whhich our expatriate colleagues enjoyed as a right. Good riddance to First Quantum, there are more humane investors out there in the world.
LEOPOLD>
As congolese I believe you have to put your country first before the money. I was an expart at Frontier and its hard for me to believe what you are saying. Most of the Congolese guys who were there at Frontier either had documents which were fake or they were genuine but the holder knew nothing. At work we dont pay papers but the paper should be accompanied by the person who knows what he/ she is doing. After pay day almost half the crew did not show up for work until the salaries are finished. You can celebrate the going of FQM but as for you, for the next 2-3years you will be in the streets with no job.
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