The Zambian Government is in the process of constructing a dry port at Walvis Bay port on a piece of land offered by the Namibian government, parliament heard yesterday.
Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister, Fashion Phiri, said yesterday that Namibia had offered Zambia a piece of land on which to construct a dry port for the benefit of Zambia’s importers and exporters.
He said in response to a question by Bweengwa MP, Highvie Hamududu, who wanted to know whether Government had started constructing a dry port at Walvis Bay. Prof Phiri said initially, the piece of land was offered for free in principle but later, there was change that the same land would be acquired at a cost.
He, however, said that the two governments last year signed a memorandum of understanding on an agreement that Namibia offered the land and facilitated the construction of the dry port. Foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande, assured Mr Hamududu that Government was interested in the dry port and had this year allocated some funds towards the project.
And Kabwata MP, Given Lubinda, (PF), urged the executive to adequately fund the commission of investigations for it to attain millennium development goals and improve good governance.
Mr Lubinda said the public should also know the location of the commission and that staffing levels should also be increased.
See how such news dont elicit blogs from Zeds? Maybe we have not gotten the import of such a gesture from the Namib gov. Tho they will benefit enormously from the tax on goods passing thorugh their borders and ports, we the zeds dont see this as an alternative for Durban and Dar. Can someone please give us the bright side of this gesture! Please!!
Walvis Bay is nearer than all South African Ports. The problem is that the GRZ is not smart enough to do a proper analysis of what this dry port will do to enhance our citizens interested in importing or exporting their good to the West. There is need for the GRZ to negotiate with the Namibian govt on charges for goods in transit. Our GRZ is one of the worst on the continent in terms of looking after the needs and interests of its citizens. This why foreign firms would have cheaper power than an ordinary ZAmbian home, yet the same firm does not pay tax, or refuses to pay royalties if in mining. It is clear that our leaders are boneheads.
RMA4Vq comment1 ,
I want to say – thank you for this!