JOIN DRIVERN TAXI AS PARTNER DRIVER TODAY!From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Zambian journalists praised for their responsible reporting
Lusaka, May 3,ZANIS— Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting Mwansa Kapeya has said government will ensure that all journalists were adequately educated and properly mandated to carry out their job.
Mr. Kapeya said this is so because the media plays a very important role in maintaining peace and unity in the country.
He noted that journalists were the builders of peace and have over the past years been contributing to the peace and stability which Zambia is enjoying at the moment.
Mr. Kapeya was speaking at the World Press Freedom Day celebrations in Mazabuka today.
He said since independence, the country has continued to live in peace because of the manner in which local journalists report.
He has since urged journalists to continue with the same spirit of good work and responsible reporting.
ZESCO CEO justifies electricity tariff adjustment
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
ZESCO CEO justifies electricity tariff adjustment
Solwezi, May 2, ZANIS ——– ZESCO Managing Director, Cyprian Chitundu says ZESCO tariff adjustments are necessary to enable the company finance new projects and meet its loan obligations.
Mr Chitundu said the current tariffs are not cost-reflective of the actual cost it takes the company to produce power.
He said it is for this reason that ZESCO applied to the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) for a tariff review of 26 percent upwards.
Mr Chitundu said this in a speech read on his behalf by ZESCO Finance Director, Rodgers Chisambi during the company’s Labour Day luncheon held at Royal Hotel in Solwezi last evening.
“You and I know that without a cost-reflective tariff the company will not be able to finance new projects and indeed ZESCO will not be able to meet its loan obligations”, he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Chitundu said works at the Kariba North Bank power station extension project have progressed to an extent that machine number five should be commissioned by the end of the year while machine number six should be commissioned by February next year.
He added that works at Itezhi tezhi are progressing well with 70 percent civil works complete.
Mr Chitundu further said most of the US$ 225 million ZESCO was given by government from its Euro bond which will be used as seed money to procure a transaction advisor so that the Kafue gorge lower project could commence while a smaller component will be used for rehabilitation of the distribution and transmission networks.
Speaking at the same occasion, Power Generation and Allied Workers Union of Zambia, Vice President, Judy Chibulu has urged ZESCO management to address the unfair selectivity in promotions, replacements and other human resources related issues.
Ms Chibulu said such unfair practices should not be tolerated because they are demotivating the workers thereby, hindering successes of the company.
Mushala urges workers to show worthiness
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Mushala urges workers to show worthiness
Chipata, May 2, ZANIS ——–Eastern province Permanent Secretary Bert Mushala has urges workers in the province to demonstrate the ability to add value through discipline, good time management and overall commitment towards work.
Mr Mushala said there was need for workers to support the concept of productivity by ensuring that they brought on board positive attitude towards work.
He was speaking during this year’s Labour Day celebration held at David Kaunda stadium in Chipata yesterday.
The Permanent Secretary stated that government was committed to ensuring that decent jobs are created through increased investment in social and economic programmes for sustainable development.
“The Patriotic Front government has also embarked on comprehensive structural reform whose focus will be to make the public sector more efficient in service delivery and act as an effective ingredient to national development,” he said.
He further said government remains committed to comprehensive reform of the labour laws of the nation in order to bring them in line with the labour market dynamics.
Mr Mushala however urged employers to pay fair wages and refrain from bad labour practices such as abuse and exploitation of labour.
And speaking at the same function, Zambia Federation of Employers Representative Wamuwi Changani said creation and effective labour law reforms and better condition of service requires adequate and a strong national labour administration system.
Mr Changani stated that there was need to adequately fund the Ministry of Labour to overcome governance problems that would prevent the ministry from performing its core role of labour administration and other responsibilities.
He stressed the need for social dialogues among stakeholders to unite efforts to be applied at all levels including types of negotiations and broad political institutions of democracy, policy and regulation formulation.
“The state should take a lead to practice this during all types of negotiations, consultations and exchange of information among representatives of different groups on common interest in economic labour and social policy.
He said transformation of any economy, employment creation, labour law reforms attainment of better conditions of service and improved work culture was dependent on social dialogue hence the need to find practical rules and policies for broad benefit of society.
Meanwhile, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions Trustee Sifuniso Nyumbu said it was the responsibility of government to ensure that all labour laws that were being approved were aimed at improving the welfare and protecting the working class in the country.
Mr Nyumbu stated that the trade union demands for better quality jobs for the people as decent work was the foundation of the fight against poverty and inequality in society.
He however, said workers were a backbone in implementing government policies, hence the need for them to double productivity through a positive work culture so that demands for improved conditions of work could be justifiable.
Fuel increase worries motorists
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Fuel increase worries motorists
Kasama, May 2, ZANIS ———The recent fuel increment by government has been received with mixed feeling by motorists in Kasama.
Motorists especially Taxi drivers complained that the move will cause a drop back in their daily business as the number of commuters will reduce as the increase will have spill over effect.
Speaking on behalf of other motorists, George Mutale a taxi driver from Location Township complained that it will take much time for them to get used to the upward tariff.
Mutale said a distance which used to cost K10 may now cost K15 following the recent fuel increase.
And a spot check at Omak and Puma filling stations in Kasama found business going on normally as confirmed by Station Managers Parimal Patel and Jairos Tembo respectively.
Petrol has been increased to almost K10 from K8.68 and Diesel from K7.75 to K9.20 as of yesterday.
ZANIS COPY – Kapiri Girls Technical School starts operating
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Kapiri Girls Technical School starts operating
Kapiri Mposhi, 6 February, 2013, ZANIS – The newly constructed Kapiri Technical Boarding School for Girls has opened to pupils.
The school, which was constructed alongside 20 staff houses at the total cost of Kr 30, 4 million, opened last week and is currently enrolling grades eight and ten pupils.
17 teachers have since been deployed to the school, which will be able to enroll and accommodate 340 grades eight to 12 girl pupils in boarding once operational.
And contraction works of another school, Kapiri Mposhi Day High School, has reached an advanced stage and will open for classes in the first week of March 2013.
Over 95 percent of the works that include construction of classroom blocks, staff houses, laboratories, assembly hall, painting and roofing all worth about at the total cost of Kr 23 million have been completed.
Touring the two schools, Central Province Permanent Secretary, Anne Sinyangwe expressed satisfaction at the workmanship by the constructors engaged to build the schools.
Ms. Sinyangwe said government was impressed with the works put up by the contractor urging local contractors to emulate.
“This is good workmanship… I just challenge our local contractors to copy the work culture of our Chinese friends and to avoid shoddy works when they are awarded contracts because that is the only way we will have standards,” Ms. Sinyangwe said.
Ms. Sinyangwe advised pupils and teachers to safeguard the schools’ infrastructure from vandals.
And, ZAMLIN Constructions, the Contractor building Kapiri Day School is presently working on the water reticulation system before it could hand over the school to government.
Site Manager, Wang Jia Dong said the company was doing final touches before the school could be handed over to the government adding that the school would be ready for occupancy soon.
Meanwhile, Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner, Beatrice Sikazwe has commended government for completing the schools noting that the projects have been long overdue.
Ms. Sikazwe said the schools once fully operational will help in absorbing pupils graduating for high school education in the district.
The DC said most pupils stop school upon passing to secondary school because their parents could not afford to take them to schools outside the district.
“We have problems especially for our girl children when it comes to secondary schools … they stop school because their parents cannot afford so these schools will definitely help in ensuring that these children find spaces when they pass to secondary school,” Ms. Sikazwe said.
Kapiri Mposhi district has no secondary school for pupils who pass to high school, forcing many parents to get school places for their children outside the district.
ZANIS COPY-Over 170,000 males underwent circumcision in 2012
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Over 170,000 males underwent circumcision in 2012
Lusaka, February 7, ZANISOver 170,000 males were circumcised in 250 health facilities and circumcision centres across the country last year (2012).
ZANIS COPY – Govt bans user fees in Kapiri Mponshi
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Govt bans user fees in Kapiri Mponshi
Kapiri Mponshi, 6th February, 2013-ZANIS…………………Central Province Permanent Secretary, Anne Sinyangwe, has directed the Ministry of Health in Kapiri-Mposhi district to stop charging user fees in all health services at the health institutions.
And District Medical Officer Dr Charles Mwinuna was at pains to explain to Permanent Secretary why the hospital is still charging for X-Ray services centrally to government’s recent directive to all public health institutions not to do so..
Mrs. Sinyangwe said patients should not be made to pay for any medical services being provided at government health institutions.
ZANIS reports that the Permanent Secretary said this yesterday during her tour of Kapiri-Mposhi District Hospital where she discovered that patients are still being charged for X-Ray services.
She said the PF government meant well by scrapping off the medical fees as this will enhance access to health services by the general public.
The Permanent Secretary said government realises that most people in the districts are poor and the medical fees they are being charged impede their access to proper health care.
Clients at Kapiri-Mposhi District Hospital are charged K10, 000, (KR 10.00) to access X-Ray services.
And District Medical Officer Dr Charles Mwinuna was at pains to explain to Permanent Secretary why the hospital is still charging for X-Ray services centrally to government’s recent directive to all public health institutions not to do so.
Dr Mwinuna, however, said the K10, 000 (KR 10.00) that the patients are being charged is meant for buying X-Ray films for the department in case they run out.
But the Permanent Secretary ordered management to stop charging their clients for anything because the government provides funding for the hospital to replenish all consumables.
ZANIS COPY-Sata warns Zambian envoys abroad against corruption
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Sata warns Zambian envoys abroad against corruption
Lusaka, February 7, ZANIS—President Michael Sata has told Zambian diplomats serving abroad to fulfill government demands in their work and to desist from engaging themselves in corrupt practices.
President Sata said corrupt diplomats would be noticed because government would institute a monitoring mechanism.
He was speaking at State House today when he swore in Barbara Chilangwa and Ibrahim Mumba as Zambia’s Ambassadors to Angola and Saudi Arabia respectively.
“Angola and Saudi Arabia have similarities in wealthy. Angola is rich in diamonds while Saudi Arabia is endowed with oil. Diamonds and oil are very tempting and remember that you are going there on oath. We shall know your activities and government here at home and where you are going will monitor you,” President Sata said.
The President congratulated the duo on their new appointments and advised them to diligently discharge their duties correctly.
Mr. Sata urged Mrs. Chilangwa and Mr. Mumba to ensure that Zambia benefits from Angola and Saudi Arabia through enhanced trade ties and strengthened bilateral relationship.
And speaking in a separate interview with ZANIS, Mrs. Chilangwa welcomed President Sata’s warning against corruption saying she was not worried to be probed because she was a person of integrity.
Mrs. Chilangwa, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education during the late President Levy Mwanawasa regime, pledged to work hard and link Zambia to Angola in economic, political and social sectors.
“I have worked in government before and my new role is to work hard with integrity and diligence and l have no worries about corruption,” she said.
Before her new appointment, Mrs. Chilangwa, an Educationist, was Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) Executive Director, a local nongovernment organisation that advocates for the girl child rights and education.
And newly appointed Zambia’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim Mumba, also pledged to work hard and negotiate for the reduction of the price of crude oil from that country to Zambia.
Mr. Mumba said his first assignment in the rich Middle East country is to woo Saudi Arabia investors to invest in Zambia’s key sectors of the economy.
“It is a triple effect for Zambia and my going there as Ambassador is to ensure that crude oil pump price goes down,” Mr. Mumba said.
The swearing in ceremony at State House was witnessed by Cabinet ministers, Permanent Secretaries and senior government officials.
ZANIS COPY – Mulenga warns officers against abandoning places of work
From: ZANIS News <[email protected]>
Mulenga warns officers against abandoning places of work
Shangombo, Feb 7/13, ZANIS——–Ministry of Health Deputy Minister, Christopher Mulenga, has warned workers in his ministry against abandoning their areas and operating by remote.
Mr Melenga advised such workers to immediately go back to their districts or be replaced by people who are ready to serve the public.
Mr. Mulenga, who was in Shangombo yesterday to check on the newly constructed Shangombo District Hospital, said it is sad that patients in rural areas continue to suffer at the expense of government paying officers that end up abandoning rural areas for urban areas.
He said it was wrong for any health worker to put themselves on remote operations where they go to attend to work when they feel so and go to settle in urban areas where they do not work from.
The health deputy minister he was speaking when he addressed members of staff at Shangombo District Hospital.
The issue of some health workers running away from their health centres came to light when Mr Mulenga held a meeting with Senanga District Hospital staff in Senanga where he learnt that their colleagues had been shunning their territories and were spending most of their time in Senanga and Mongu.
He said government is aware of the many challenges its workers face in rural areas, adding that it is government’s desire to see its people benefit from their entitlements in all parts of the country without fail.
He said the Patriotic Front government is ready to work with people who have a positive agenda of fostering development across the country.
Mr Mulenga said Shangombo is not a very remote area that someone can even run away from.
The deputy minister noted that health officers in Shangombo have 14 good staff houses which are electrified and have piped water.
He said Sinjembela Constituency will soon benefit 8 of the 26 district health centres to be constructed beginning April this year.
Sinjembela UPND Member of Parliament, Njeulu Poniso, also attended the meeting.
