KCM hands over sanitation facility

By ALEX NJOVU

Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) on Monday handed over water and sanitation facilities built at a cost of K170 million at George Mwelwa Basic School in Chingola.
Chingola district commissioner Tobias Maliti said during the handover ceremony of the facilities that the amenities will ensure a favourable learning environment for staff and pupils.
Mr Maliti said the water and sanitation facilities are important to any existing community in Zambia and urged beneficiaries to guard them jealously.
He warned that there could not be any meaningful national development in the country without education and health services.
“We are happy that KCM has brought water and sanitation services to our children at George Mwelwa Basic School. We can now be rest assured that diseases such as cholera will be avoided following the services that have been brought to the school.
“Health and education are one of the most important areas that the government wants to achieve through the Millennium Development Goals and this is why Government allocates huge sums of money towards these two sectors,” Mr Maliti said.
He said KCM has continued to make quality health care accessible to many people in its areas of operation, through corporate social responsibility.
KCM human resources manager George Mutono said the water and sanitation project that the mining company handed over to the Government is a demonstration that it is ready to help improve the quality of life in Zambia. Mr Mutono said KCM’s vision is to help Zambia regain its status among the big league of copper producers in the near future.
“It’s our belief that George Mwelwa Basic School will benefit from the facilities we’ve handed over to the government. These are designed to create a more conducive learning environment. Clean water and decent sanitary facilities are the right of every Zambian,” he said.
Giving a vote of thanks, school head teacher Mary Musukwa said the school was opened in 2004 without any toilet and safe drinking water for a population of 500 pupils.
Meanwhile, KCM has electrified Mushima Basic School on the Chingola-Solwezi road at a cost of K40 million.
Mr Maliti commended KCM for funding the electrification of the school.
Mr Mutono said electrification of Mushima Basic School was done with the realisation that Zambia will not attain the Millennium Development Goals without such projects in schools