CARITAS ZAMBIA OBSERVES THAT ZAMBIA IS FOREGOING THE ANTICIPATED MINING REVENUE

CARITAS ZAMBIA HAS OBSERVED ZAMBIA IS FOREGOING THE ANTICIPATED MINING REVENUE AND HAS BORNE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
ACCORDING TO ITS 2011 REPORT, AS A RESULT OF FOREGOING THE REVENUE, THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMIC NET DEBT IS NOT REDUCING AND REVENUE TO INVEST IN EDUCATION, HEALTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE HAS NOT MATERIALIZED AT THE ANTICIPATED RATE.
CARITAS SAYS MORE REVENUE NEEDS TO BE COLLECTED FROM THE MINING SECTOR AS IT IS THE NATION’S CURRENT MAJOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY BUT AS IT IS THE STATUS QUO SHOWS THAT NOT MUCH IS BEING COLLECTED THOUGH IT HAS HUGE POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE MORE.
THE REPORT SAYS FOR THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE TO BENEFIT FULLY FROM THE PROCEEDS OF COPPER, THERE IS NEED FOR GOVERNMENT TO PUT IN PLACE WELL THOUGHT AND ADEQUATE POLICY MEASURES MOST OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUGGESTED BY STAKEHOLDERS AND ECONOMY AND MINING EXPERTS.
IT FURTHER NOTES THAT THE LINKS BETWEEN EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES, ENVIRONMENT, DEGRADATION, POLLUTION, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE, INCREASE IN CORRUPTION AND POVERTY IS A GROWING CONCERN IN THAT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE BEING FORCED OFF THEIR LAND TO MAKE WAY FOR MINING DEVELOPMENTS, LEADING TO LAND ALIENATION.

published by augustine