Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga, has commended Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) for launching the next generation business and beneficial ownership register.

Mr Mulenga says the move taken by PACRA is a significant step in promoting transparency and accountability within the business community.

He notes that the use of a beneficial ownership register is going to enhance the rate of doing business in Zambia.

The media reports that Mr Mulenga said this in a speech read for him at the event last night by Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba.

He stressed that conducting business in Zambia is improving everyday through the policies and initiatives that the government is implementing.

Mr Mulenga further saluted the agency for demonstrating strong leadership in implementing reforms aimed at bettering the business environment in the country.

Speaking earlier, Smart Zambia National Coordinator, Percy Chinyama, thanked GIZ Zambia for investing in the establishment of the next generation business and beneficial ownership register project.

Mr Chinyama said the financial support provided by GIZ Zambia towards the project is highly appreciated.

Meanwhile, PACRA Board Chairperson, Allan Mwaba, said the launch of the next generation business and beneficial ownership register project marks an important government milestone, one that reflects Zambia’s continued commitment to creating a modern business environment.

Mr Mwaba added that the launch of the business and beneficial ownership register is not an isolated initiative but a national reform.

Zambia Police Inspector General, Graphel Musamba, has commended IK Charitable Trust for donating a solar-powered water pump to Roadways Police Post in John Laing of Kanyama Constituency.

Mr Musamba, who was represented by Kanyama Police Station Officer in Charge, Superintendent Clarence Mpande, described the gesture as a major boost to service delivery and community welfare.

 Speaking during the handover ceremony, Mr Musamba said the donation will significantly improve access to clean and reliable water for officers at the post and the surrounding community in the constituency.

Mr Musamba added that the solar-powered water pump is more than just equipment, describing it as a lifeline that will enhance both living and working conditions at the police post.

He said the donation is an important milestone in strengthening partnerships between the Police and cooperating organisations committed to community development.

Speaking at the same event, IK Charitable Trust, Administration Manager, Mohammed Lambat, said the donation is part of the organisation’s Water and Sanitation Aid Facility, which focuses on improving basic services in vulnerable communities.

Mr Lambat said access to clean and reliable water is not a luxury but a necessity, as it supports health, prevents disease and enables institutions such as police posts to operate effectively and serve the public with dignity.

He explained that the donation includes a newly drilled borehole up to a depth of 20 metres, a solar-powered pumping system with panels, a storage tank, borehole-to-tank piping, double garden taps, renovated toilet plumbing facilities and office furniture.

Mr Lambat noted that the intervention is intended not only to improve water and sanitation but also to enhance the working conditions of officers stationed at the post, as well as members of the public who access services there.

He commended the leadership and officers at the Roadways Police Post for their cooperation, which he said made the project possible.

Northern Province Education Officer, Mulambwa Nawa has praised government and its partners for the collective efforts in promoting a culture of hard work and producing better results in the province.

This follows the latest ranking where the province came out third in the national examinations with 74.04 pass rate in the 2025 grade 12 examinations, an upgrade from the seventh position recorded last year with a 64.74 pass rate.

Mr Nawa, has congratulated teachers for their dedication, which led to a notable improvement in the 2025 grade 12 performance.

speaking in an interview, Mr Nawa said the consistency of good performance across the three examination levels is an indication of the good approach put in place.

“Results have been impressive, and they cannot be attributed to one person. We want to thank our teachers, DEBs offices, provincial administration and the learners themselves for the effort put in to perform well in the exams.

“The good performance at grades 7, 9 and 12 is as a result of the good approach by our staff,” he said.

The Provincial Education Officer also attributed the high level of performance to the policies that the government has put in place to improve the education sector.

He further revealed that the province has bought and rehabilitated over seventy thousand desks in schools, creating a conducive learning environment for learners.

Mr Nawa added that the government is also constructing eight secondary schools under the Zambia Enhanced Education Project (ZEEP) and thirty-two Zambia Enhancing Early Learning (ZEAL) Schools and has also rehabilitated over 200 classroom blocks, providing more accommodation space for learners.

“Free education has  lifted the burden from parents and learners, lessening the pressure for school fees, so good policies are the ones bringing good performance and also a good learning environment,” he noted.

Mr Nawa has also called for continued collaboration among stakeholders for a successful 2026 academic year.

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing and controlling illicit cultivation, production, trafficking, abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the country.

DEC Public Relations Manager, Allan Tamba, says the commission also has a mandate to combat money laundering activities under national law, adding that its operations are guided by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act Number 35 of 2021 and the Prohibition and Prevention of Money Laundering Act Number 14 of 2001, as amended by Act Number 44 of 2010.

Speaking in an interview with the media in Lusaka, Mr Tamba explained that DEC’s mandate is centered on three main focus areas which are drug supply reduction, drug demand reduction, and money laundering prevention.

Mr Tamba explained that drug supply reduction activities include investigations and prosecutions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks and apprehending offenders.

He said the agency’s drug demand reduction initiatives focus on prevention, education, and counselling for individuals at risk of drug abuse.

Money laundering prevention, he added, is another key aspect of DEC’s work, ensuring that financial crimes associated with narcotics and other illicit activities are detected and prosecuted.

And, Mr Tamba noted that DEC collaborates closely with both local and international agencies to tackle transnational crimes, particularly along common borders.

He said recent operations have recorded significant seizures of illegal drugs and arrests linked to transnational trafficking, stating that the results are attributed to strengthened intelligence networks and inter-agency partnerships.

Mr Tamba further said the commission has intensified drug awareness and prevention activities along border areas to protect communities from the dangers associated with narcotics.

Mr Tamba urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities related to drug trafficking or money laundering.

“Crime does not pay, the law enforcement agencies are working around the globe to ensure that perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

“We won’t relent in our mandate and will ensure that we promote public safety, national security and development in order to ensure that future generations are insulated against the negative effects committed,” Mr Tamba stressed.

He encouraged members of the public to report suspicious activities directly to DEC or any other law enforcement agency operating in the country.

Mr Tamba noted that through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the public, Zambia can effectively prevent, detect, and combat criminal activities related to drugs and financial crimes.