Its an embarrassment for Zambia to be poor despite its mineral wealth – MUZ President

Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) President Joseph Chewe says it is embarrassing that Zambia has been classified as a poor country despite being rich in minerals that include gold, emerald,copper, manganese and cobalt.

Mr. Chewe has advised that Zambia should properly harness its abundant mineral resources to end poverty.

He said Zambia should learn from Middle East countries that have utilised oil to create national wealth.

“Look at how the Arabs have harnessed their wealth through oil.Where have we gone wrong as a country? We have copper and copper as we speak today is one of the minerals that is being used in this energy transition and we must leverage on these benefits and be counted that these minerals copper and manganese can end poverty in our country,” Mr. Chewe told Radio Icengelo News.

“We need to become like Arabs who have harnessed the wealth very well in terms of minerals. We call upon all Zambians that we need to show the next generation that these minerals God has given us must end poverty,” he said.

Mr. Chewe warned that foreigners have been abusing local minerals.

“It is very embarrassing that we can be classified as a poor nation in the midst of abundance, when those countries calling us poor have no minerals. This is very embarrassing so I think as a country we need to come out of these doldrums and change the way this country is classified by utilising our mineral resources and creating more jobs. The mining sector can absorb many unemployed graduates like it used to happen during ZCCM days,” he said.