Lumwana employs 70 miners

By ALEX NJOVU

LUMWANA Copper Mines has employed about 70 workers that were retrenched by some mining companies on the Copperbelt in the last one month.

Lumwana managing director Harry Michael confirmed the development in a telephone interview yesterday from Lumwana in Solwezi, North Western Province.
“We have employed about 60 to 70 workers that were retrenched by mining companies from the Copperbelt in the last one month…interviews are still going on,” Mr Michael said.
He said Lumwana was happy that it had continued creating jobs for Zambians.
Mr Michael said workers at the mine had demonstrated commitment to work, adding that Zambians had some of the best skills needed in the mining sector.
“All we are demanding from our workers is hard work, honesty and dedication to work because if they cheat the company, it is them that will suffer.
“We are struggling just like anyone else, but we are determined to pull through,” he said.
Mr Michael said the company was confident that challenges facing the mining sector would soon end.
And National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) president Mundia Sikufele said the union was happy that retrenched miners were being absorbed by Lumwana.
Mr Sikufele said, however, that mining companies on the Copperbelt should not be happy that workers they were retrenching were being absorbed by Lumwana.
“Lumwana Copper Mine employs skilled workers and we are happy that the mining company is absorbing them.
But we would like to caution mining companies on the Copperbelt that they should not rejoice that the workers they are retrenching are being absorbed by Lumwana Copper Mine,” Mr Sikufele said.
He commended Lumwana for efforts the company was making in ensuring that it contributed to the reduction of unemployment in the country.
Mr Sikufele said Lumwana was proving to be a true partner in development by employing people when other mines were retrenching workers.
He said unions were interested in seeing retrenched workers re-employed.
“Even after new investors are found for mines such as Luanshya Copper Mine, we want the same workers to be re-employed,” Mr Sikufele said.