Historically the most sparsely populated province in Zambia, the North-Western Province is in the midst of something of a social and economic revolution, one that has been propelled forward by the activities of some of the biggest mining ventures in the country. These include Barrick Gold’s Lumwana Mining Company, First Quantum Minerals’ (FQM) Kansanshi Mine and now the latter’s Trident development.
One person who has witnessed this revolution up close, and who understands what this means for the region as a whole, is Mathias Mutupa, President of the North Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NWCCI). Under his leadership, and in the last four years alone, the NWCCI has seen its membership swell by some 400 percent to close to 300 affiliated companies, something that has not been lost on him or indeed on the rest of the nation.
“We are immensely proud of the close working relationships we have cultivated with the likes of FQM,” he states. “In the last four years in particular these relationships have resulted in the NWCCI becoming the largest business organisation associated with the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and more importantly has been the catalyst for an unpredicted rise in business opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) in the region.”
One doesn’t simply have to take Mutupa’s word for this growth as the economic figures are there for all to see as well. In the first six months of 2013 the Kansanshi Mine alone created $40 million worth of business for the NWCCI’s members in the form of various transactions including tendering for construction works and the supply of services and consumables. What makes this colossal figure all the more impressive is that it is from just one source. The true total is much higher considering the many other developments occurring throughout the Province.
“In addition to the obvious achievements it is making in the field of mining,” Mutupa continues, “FQM is doing great work in providing business opportunities to our member companies and in the process it is contributing significantly to the growth of the North-Western Province. This has caused the rest of the country to sit up and take notice and SMEs from the length and breadth of Zambia wanting to come and get involved with what is happening here. Through the collaborative efforts of ourselves and the mining companies we are working non-stop to build up the private sector in this part of the world, while at the same time create a strong local supply chain for products and services, and ultimately creating a wealth of employment opportunities for Zambians.”
It is the positive social and economic development of local Zambians that is at the heart of the vast majority of things that Mutupa and the NWCCI are trying to achieve. It is for that reason that the Chamber takes great encouragement from the number of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes that FQM and other miners have enacted.
“The concept of CSR of has taken on a greater deal of significance than ever before in recent times and I myself have always been a firm believer in the principles behind it and the benefits that it brings,” Mutupa enthuses. “All of us here at the NWCCI are highly tuned into what makes a responsible mining operation and how the continuing commitment of businesses to behave ethically helps to contribute towards economic development and the bettering of the lives of local communities and society at large. We know that in today’s environment such values cannot be marginalised and therefore it pleases us greatly to see so many examples of how companies based in the North-Western Province are rising to the challenge and helping to make a positive difference.”
Given the status of NWCCI’s relationship with the mining companies in the region it should be pretty obvious why Mutupa is confident that it can only go from strength to strength in the years ahead. “The foundation that we have all helped lay is very strong and built on top of it is a collective desire to see the private sector in the North-Western Province continue to develop. The work occurring here today is creating new growth opportunities for our members and thus greater employment opportunities for local Zambians. We are seeing the growth of communities take place right before our eyes and this gives us great confidence that the future of this region is in very good hands. The development of the Trident project as well only adds further to our confidence in the future growth and prosperity of this part of the world, both socially and economically.”
Written by Will Daynes, research by Richard Halfhide and Vincent Kielty
