Maravi

Chingola DC advises against dependence on mining
By Misheck Wangwe in Chingola
Wed 21 Aug. 2013, 14:00 CAT

CHINGOLA district commissioner George Sichula has implored the business community and residents in the district to work hard and end over-dependence on one economic player, KCM.

Addressing a forum organised by the business community in Chingola yesterday, Sichula said it was worrying that many people were only thinking of working for Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and in times when the mining company performs badly, everybody suffers.

"This over-dependence on KCM for survival is a disease and only we, the people of Chingola, can cure it. I am sure you have heard that President Michael Sata and the PF government reiterate over and over the need for high performance and productivity, a positive work attitude and the need to get rid of laziness if we are to transform this country," Sichula said.

"The cure of this disease is by every one of us personally standing up to the challenge and resolving to be excellent in our individual areas of endeavour, whether we are in formal employment or in entrepreneurship."

Sichula said it was gratifying that Chingola-based businesses had started taking s teps to do their best and excel, even in times when the going gets tough.

He said the businesses that had been established so far were proof enough that it was possible to diversify the Chingola economy and survive even when copper mining industry slumps.

"I call upon more men and women in Chingola to follow in these footsteps of some prominent businessmen. We need people to go into agriculture and manufacturing and take advantage of the already huge market across the border, in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Sichula said.

He said the blame game among many Zambians must be gotten rid of as everybody had been called upon to stand up and come up with viable projects that would trigger national development.

"We complain about the poor performance of nurses, teachers, doctors, revenue officers, and perhaps even whole departments of central or local government. In turn, nurses, teachers, doctors and just public officers in general, also complain about the performance of banks, insurance companies, shops, telephone networks, water utilities. Enough of this complaining and blaming; let's change the work culture and work extra hard in our various fields to develop this country."

Labels: GEORGE SICHULA, MINING, NEOCOLONIALISM

posted by MrK @ 3:51 PM