Sat, 10 Jun 2017 08:44:00 +0000
By MUKOSELA KASALWE
THE U$ 1.7 million loan from the African Development Bank for mineral resources project will build the capacity of Zambians in the field of sustainable mineral resource development, says Ministry of Higher Education Acting permanent secretary Alex Simumba
Mr. Simumba said Zambia was among the world’s top ten producers of copper and cobalt but that the extraction of these minerals inevitably reduced the wealth of the nation and that the depletion of the natural resource should benefit the local population. He said in Lusaka yesterday, at the launch of the ‘Education for sustainable development in mineral resources management project’ that the only way non-renewable resources could contribute to 13 percent of Zambia’s capital wealth would be through the sustainable development of mineral resources.
Mr. Simumba said the project would target at educating 75 Zambians at masters level and would strengthen the University of Zambia’s institutional capacity to provide training in sustainable mineral resources management.
“Minerals are a non-renewable resource that contribute 13 percent to Zambia’s wealth.
The mining process which involves the extraction of these mineral inevitably reduces the wealth of the party and the only way we can see this contribution growth is through sustainable development of our mineral resources,” he said.
The permanent secretary said the project would complement other mining-related training programmes offered in the country which focused on science and engineering.
Mr. Simumba thanked the United Nations University at the school of mines for having had provided institutional and administrative support towards the project. AfDB resident representative Damoni Kitabire said the project launch signified the strong cooperation between Government and the Bank towards improving the lives of people in Southern Africa.
Mr. Kitabire said the project was jointly designed by the University of Cape Town and UNZA to contribute to the production of skills needed in mineral-rich African countries aimed at maximising the role of natural mineral resources in inclusive economic growth and social development.
Meanwhile, UNZA vice chancellor Luke Mumba thanked the AfDB and government for their support towards the project.
