Sat, 10 Jun 2017 08:51:37 +0000
By PRINCE CHIBAWAH
DESPITE having rich mineral resources, the number of Zambians living in abject poverty still remains high across the country, Catholic Diocese of Solwezi bishop Charles Kasonde has said.
He attributed the high levels of poverty to public financial mismanagement and natural resource plunder. “After a decade of buoyant growth, almost half of Zambians still live on less than $1.25 dollars a day,” he said.
Bishop Kasonde said this in speech read on his behalf by his Vicar General Fr Neal Mulyata during the first provincial mining indaba held at Bishop Potani Lodge in Solwezi.
“Between 2004 and 2014, I am sure we all watched Zambia’s recent impressive economic growth with fascination and this progress was laudable.
“However, in the past three years, dropping copper prices, disturbing increases in inequality and poverty, as well as losing money through natural resource plunder and financial mismanagement, have been a cause of great concern,” Bishop Kasonde said.
He said if Zambians did not stand up and stop the plunder the entire country would pay the price.
“If we do nothing to stop the plunder, then we will all suffer the consequences. Not today perhaps, but in the near future,” he said.
Bishop Kasonde also revealed that the provincial mining indaba was necessitated by the province’s welfare which he said had generally failed to improve despite marked growth in economic performance and huge investment in the mining sector.
“Zambia is yet to achieve significant gains in social and human development. Social indicators have shown not only modest improvements, but high unemployment, particularly among the youth, while income inequalities have widened.
“The subsequent growth of the extractive industry in the province has triggered a myriad of social and environmental conflicts,” he added. The bishop called on Government to ensure that all investors adopted sustainable, ethical and responsible mining.
“Local communities need mining companies that respect people’s rights and have a human face,” he said.
