MUMBWA District Council chairperson Lenox Hamaimbo has praised the Nampundwe unit of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) for helping to develop the district through its consistent rate payments.
Mr Hamaimbo said in an interview that the rates paid by KCM to the council had helped the district undertake a number of development projects.
"Just last week we received K84 million in rates from KCM. They would normally pay rates for three months which is very helpful for the council," he said.
Nampundwe Ward 1 Councillor, Mubita Lubinda also commended KCM for building a 3x1 classroom block at Nampundwe Basic School.
Mr Lubinda expressed gratitude to KCM for the building he described as a major achievement for the Nampundwe community. Many pupils had no classrooms in the past.
KCM corporate social responsibility (CSR) coordinator, Kutemba Kakoma said the mining firm had continued to implement its CSR strategy for Nampundwe.
"We are undertaking a number of projects in the health sector and also in the education sector.
"In the education sector, we are working in conjunction with DAPP on a pre-school. We are also training people in various skills so that they can have other skills to sustain themselves other than depend on the mine," Ms Kakoma said.
Meanwhile, Mumbwa District Council said it had devised other mechanisms of raising funds such as the recently introduced business permit.
Mr Hamaimbo said because of such interventions, the council was current with the payment of workers' salaries.
He said the council was also working on mechanisms to collect revenue from illegal miners in the district.
He also complained that the Food Reserve Agency only had two depots in the area.
