By REBECCA MUSHOTA  –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has urged Kansanshi Mine to expand its corporate social responsibility and partner with Government to rehabilitate township roads in Solwezi.
President Lungu said Government had many competing needs and required the support of the private sector.
He made the remarks after touring Kansanshi Mine, a subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals (FQM) yesterday.

. President Edgar Lungu with First Quantum Minerals Limited (FQM) officials during a tour of Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi yesterday. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/State House

President Lungu disclosed that Government was in the process of rehabilitating about 21 kilometres stretch of township roads in Solwezi.
He implored the mine to consider partnering with the Government to improve the Solwezi Airport because activities in the district had increased and flights into the district had also shot up.
“Kansanshi Mine is a huge investment and it should have a special place in the economy,” he said.
The President and his entourage, including Finance Deputy Minister Christopher Mvunga, Deputy Minister at State House Mulenga Sata, North-Western Province Minister Dawson Kafwaya and Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Rayford Mbulu, toured the main pit, the crusher and the US$850 million smelter at Kansanshi Mine.
Mr Lungu said Government would continue engaging mining companies to protect the interests of the workers, employers, the Zambians and Government.
To ensure industrial harmony, Government would continue engaging the mining companies.
“We are still talking to the mining companies to help maintain harmony between the mines and the workers. This is about us, the people, the Government and the mines,” President Lungu said.
FQM operations director, Matt Pascall said the mine would continue discussing with Government to see how best it could help the mining company re-invest in the company to maintain high production.
Mr Pascall said mining companies required recapitalisation to sustain high production.
The company required $1.5 billion to push production to 300,000 tonnes of copper.
He said the mining firm also had a challenge of power supply because ZESCO sometimes blacked out the company which covered production hours.
He said the company was up to date with all the taxes and had invested in the community.
The mining firm was insisting on the workers to purchase the houses they were currently living in at the time of their retirement.
Meanwhile, President Lungu said he was impressed with the women operating heavy duty machinery at the mine.??He said this should serve as an inspiration to the girl-child.