Maamba workers get salary arrears - Quoted in the Zambia Daily Mail

MAAMBA Collieries Limited yesterday paid employees five months salary arrears owed to them. The company paid April 2010 salaries and four months salary arrears to 598 employees.

The outstanding two months arrears are expected to be paid by the end of this month, depending on the confirmation by employees of what they are owed.Maamba Collieries chief executive officer Dipesh Dipu said management aims to resume mining operations as soon as possible, and begin afresh with a new vision.

“In order to realise this goal, it has been decided that issues affecting employees’ welfare should be addressed almost immediately before full production resumes.“There are a number of issues management needs to address, and for this reason, it has hired an independent consultancy firm to carry out an audit of employees’ liabilities.

“The payment of salary arrears signifies our commitment to our people and their families, and our community in general. This also signifies Nava Bharat Singapore’s pledge to fulfil its commitment to the Committee of Ministers, ZCCM-IH and the Zambia Development Agency,” he said.

And acting Sinazongwe district commissioner Sokoloku Daka has said Government is happy that Maamba Collieries Limited has a new lease of life.

“Today, employees are being paid their salary arrears. The new owners of the mine have taken it upon themselves to clear the backlog. This means that they have a heart for the workers who have suffered for a long time,” he said.Mr Daka said Government has tried hard to find a solution to the problems at the mine.

“Government found a partner who has bought 65 percent shares and taken over operations of the mine,” he said.

He said Sinazongwe is a drought-prone area and the stability of the mining sector will, therefore, create employment for local people.

“It is sad that our local industry gets coal from outside when we have this resource locally,” he said.Mr Daka also said the company’s intention of setting up a thermal power plant will boost the country’s power generation requirements.

And Mine Workers’ Union of Zambia Maamba branch chairman Evans Moyo thanked Maamba Collieries Limited management for stepping in to clear salary arrears.

“This is a good start, and this gives hope to us employees. I would like to ask management to continue looking into workers’ welfare so that we can together move the company to greater heights,” he said.

He said workers have had difficulties in accessing their salaries for the past two years.Mr Moyo also commended the new investors for retaining local experts.

And MUZ Maamba branch secretary Evans Chikwa said the payment of arrears has come at the right time as it will enable employees to meet their financial obligations.

The new investors also intend to set up a power project which will produce 300 mega watts of power.

Zambia: NAVA Bharat to start revamping Maamba Coal mine - Quoted in the Lusaka Times

Maamba Collieries (MCL) Chief Executive Officer has said NAVA Bharat ventures (NBV) will revive the operations of the company which had been grounded for many years and contribute to the development of the country.

MCL Chief Executive Officer Dipesh Dipu said in his first address to the miners at the company’s offices in Maamba Township that a thermal plant for generating power using coal would be built in less than three years.

Mr. Dipu said the Power project would be producing 300 mega watts of power and more associated local business would be supported.

“We need to look beyond the horizon and see the lives of people of our country being lit up by coal we produce and power we generate,” Mr Dipu said.

He told the miners that the power project would be the first of its kind in Zambia and a lot of people were expected to be visiting MCL.

Mr. Dipu disclosed that a new Coal Processing Plant (CPP) would be built to replace the old plant and the Rope Way will be worked on to improve the transportation of coal to Masuku.

“Mamba is going to change, we have to work hard to ensure that we are part of the history and benefit from the wealth we are going to create,” Mr Dipu said.

The MCL Chief Executive Officer said the new CPP would be environmentally friendly as less effluent would be discharged in the streams.

Mr. Dipu noted that the new CPP would be using less water and will have the mechanism to recycle the water which will be even safe for drinking.

He told the workers who have gone for more than five months without getting a salary that the company was working on a modality to find out how much they were owed so that they would be paid.

Mr. Dipu assured them that they would be paid their April salary before the end of this Friday.On social responsibility, Mr Dipu explained that he would ensure that the profit the company will be making was ploughed back to the community in various sectors.

“Mamba is going to change, we have to work hard to ensure that we are part of the history and benefit from the wealth we are going to create,” Mr Dipu said.

Two weeks ago MCL was privatized to NAVA Bharat ventures which now owns 65 percent shares while government will have 35 percent.

MCL has been having serious operational problems as a result of having out dated equipment, liabilities, and lack of capital to revamp its operations.

NAVA Bharat Ventures’ taking over the operation of the mine has cheered the miners who have been facing financial problems to address basic needs for their families.