By DERRICK SILIMINA
Grizzly Mining Ltd applauds the newly-elected Government’s quest to increase mineral production in order to reclaim Zambia’s place as one of Africa’s leading mining countries.
In his inaugural speech, President Hakainde Hichilema pledged that his administration will strive to promote the expansion of the mining value chain as well as encourage mineral diversification through processing of gemstones, gold, nickel, manganese, iron, industrial and other minerals.
Grizzly Mining Chief Executive Officer Abdoul Ba has congratulated President Hichilema’s well-deserved victory during the just ended elections, expressing optimism that with the new administration’s quest to put in place a positive policy framework, the mining sector will definitely be revived.
“We wish him all the best because we have seen that from the time he took over as Head of State, everyone is happy, including ourselves, and the future is promising. Due to Covid-19, our industry was affected a lot, especially the small-scale miners whose operations are faced with challenges.
“We are hoping that the taxation difficulties will be dealt with so that small holder miners operate with ease because right now, only the big players like Grizzly and Kagem are functional despite challenges,” he said.
The Grizzly Mining CEO is optimistic that there will be an increase in investment in the sector starting from mineral exploration onto processing and diversification.
Mining experts have equally echoed their insights on how to facilitate local ownership and increased participation of Zambians in the sector.
And speaking on the sidelines of the Grizzly Mining international emeralds auction currently underway at Wolle Park in Kitwe’s Central Business District, company General Manager Caroline Sampa was certain that with the new government in place, the country was headed for socio-economic growth.
Sampa bubbled with confidence that “President Hichilema is the right leader needed to turn around the economic fortunes of the country because he is a veteran businessman in his own right.”
She noted that for this reason, the Head of State understood the appropriate business environment that would make the sector thrive and come out from its economic quagmire .that the country has found itself in.
“We believe that from his business background, he will be able to put in place policies that will revamp the gemstone sector in particular to thrive, policies that will enable mine investors to invest even further as well as encourage other players to come on board,” she noted.
Sampa reiterated that the more corporate players there is in the gemstone sector, the more employment will be created in the country and the more Government can earn revenue both from the employees and corporate tax from companies that will come on board.
She expressed hope for her company’s business as it gradually opens up after the negative effect of Covid-19. Despite the economic effect of the global pandemic, the emerald mining giant’s quality stones are still among the best on the international market.
Major names in the global gemstone industry have this year turned-up in numbers to participate in the Grizzly’s annual auction and are mesmerized at the high grade of the stones.
“The Grizzly gemstone is the best! You can’t go wrong as this can be confirmed through the annual turn out of our existing clients such that we run out of space to accommodate everyone that comes.”
