The African Development Bank (ADB) says the Kazungula Bridge project would facilitate trade between Botswana and Zambia and the entire SADC region once completed.

ADB President Donald Kaberuka says it is pleasing to note that construction works on the bridge were going on smoothly.

He said he was happy to be in support of the project adding that there was need to change the way traffic was handled especially that there are 100 trucks on either side that are taking two weeks to be cleared at the border post.

ZANIS reports that the ADB president said this at a press briefing today when he visited the sites from the two countries at Kazungula Border post where the bridge project shall pass.

The ADB President said the Kazungula Bridge is a multi-national project on the North-South corridor on the Zambezi River which would cost US$ 259 million funded by loans from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and ADB as well as contributions from both the governments of Zambia and Botswana.

Dr. Kaberuka disclosed that the Joint Steering Committee for the Kazungula Bridge project is still meeting for the next two weeks in Kasane in neighbouring Bostwana to discuss preparations for the ground breaking ceremony to be announced soon.

He hoped that the small gap remaining can be resolved very quickly so that the commencement of the Bridge can start.

Earlier, Dr. Kaberuka and his entourage visited the famous Lumbo village housing project on the Zambian side where the affected families have been built 40 houses as compensation.

He was happy that the affected families have been relocated to a new site with a community school and other facilities provided for them.

Meanwhile, Commerce, Trade and Industry minister Robert Sichinga said in an interview that more benefits await the SADC region once the project is completed.

Mr. Sichinga says once completed, the project shall reduce the traffic at the border like at Chirundu border post where said business has been quickened.

He added that the Bridge shall also improve border management operations and easy trade between the two countries as well as reducing transport costs.

Mr. Sichinga further charged that the Kazungula Bridge project is very vital because it is a confluence of four countries namely Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe adding that he was also delighted by the assistance of ADB, JICA and the governments of Zambia and Botswana.

He disclosed that the gap remaining was US$ 60 million towards the project.

And welcoming the Zambian delegation on the Botswana side was that country’s Transport and Communications Minister Norofo Molefhi.

While in Botswana, the Zambian delegation held a closed door meeting with their Botswana counterparts at Cresta Mowana Lodge Resort in Kasane.

MOPANI Copper Mines(MCM) PLC has implemented programmes aimed at empowering and building capacity of local contractors and other small and medium enterprises in Zambia.

MCM Chief Executive Officer Danny Callow said the Company was encouraging formation of joint venture partnerships between local contractors and internationally-recognized foreign firms wishing to do business with the mining company.

Mr Callow said the company's policy on joint ventures would help build capacity for local companies.

“We have a deliberate policy that encourages foreign manufacturing companies wishing to do business with us to partner with local companies or involve Zambians in their shareholding structures. This, we believe, will help build capacity of local companies, encourage skills transfer and give a competitive edge to the local firms while improving quality and efficiency,” said Mr Callow.

One such joint venture supported by MCM is between Shawonga Enterprises Limited of Zambia and ZINPRO Engineering of South Africa which have partnered to form ZINPRO Zambia Limited, to specialise in shaft and structural steel rehabilitation works.

ZINPRO Zambia has been engaged by MCM to undertake massive refurbishment of the shaft infrastructure.

This is contained in a statement by MCM public relations manager Cephas Sinyangwe released in Kitwe yesterday.

Mr Callow said initially the attention was directed at improving processing plants and that time had come to address mining related issues.

He said at privitisation, MCM inherited dilapidated infrastructure both on surface and underground and the company's major focus was to upgrade the Smelter to eliminate emissions and improve its efficiency.

Mr Callow said the project was completed 15 months ahead of schedule in March this year and was currently operating effectively.

“Our focus now is to improve efficiency and productivity of underground operations. Maintenance of vertical shaft infrastructure is a highly specialised job and there is lack of local skills in this regard due to many years of lack of investment. Every month Mopani loses about 6000 metric tonnes of copper due to shaft shutdowns to facilitate maintenance.

Mr Callow said by bringing in shaft experts such as ZINPRO Zambia Limited, MCM would address the problem of frequent shutdowns, achieve continued production and less maintenance costs.

ZINPRO Zambia Operations Director, London Mwafulilwa hailed MCM for supporting joint ventures which would benefit the country.

Mr Mwafulilwa said the joint venture would enable Zambians participate in improving productivity in the mining industry as well as grow the mining support base.

Local Government and Housing Minister Emmanuel Chenda has highlighted the various investment opportunities in Zambia and Government-initiated reforms to diversify the economy and creation of jobs.

According to a New York’s LEADERS magazine headlined Zambia’s Economic Reforms, published in the July-August-September 2014 edition, Mr Chenda said Zambia has numerous opportunities for investors in mining, agriculture, tourism, construction, manufacturing and other sectors.

The Minister said Zambia was diversifying its economy from dependence on a mono product – copper – to other raw and finished products.

“We intend to continue implementing prudent economic policies aimed at making the mining sector competitive, and that will lead to increased investment and output. We see mining as a platform for greater diversification,” Mr Chenda told the quarterly magazine.

The Minister said Zambia was strengthening its laws to ensure that the benefits of the vibrant mining sector accrue to Zambians.

This was contained in statement released to ZANIS today by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations.

Mr. Chenda said it was essential to create a conducive environment for business to grow and prosper.

“The Cabinet recently approved the National Strategy for Industrialization and Job Creation, a comprehensive outline of the steps we are taking as the Government to create jobs,” he said.

“My interest is to ensure that we work hard to implement that strategy and create at least one million jobs over the medium term,” he said.

Mr Chenda said job creation was the platform on which the PF Government was elected, and it was of “key interest” to him.

The Minister highlighted the need for measures aimed at increasing access to finance through micro, small, and medium enterprises, facilitating value-chain clusters using citizen empowerment initiatives, particularly for rural Zambia, reviewing and improving the public-private partnership framework.

Mr Chenda said there was need to accelerate the implementation of the special economic zones for manufacturing and value addition.

He appreciated the World Bank’s recognition of Zambia as one of the fastest economically reformed countries.

“My view has always been that we should find a balance between our appetite for foreign investment and promoting and protecting local investment,” he told the Leaders Magazine.

Opposition United Liberal Party (ULP) President Sakwiba Sikota has stressed the need for the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) to show that it is taking the lead in giving guidance to the nation.

Mr. Sikota says it is not right for the ruling PF to remain silent on an important issue such as the demand for a pay rise by Members of Parliament (MPs) at a time that government has imposed a wage freeze on the civil service.

Mr. Sikota has told Qfm news in an interview that by remaining silent on the demand that MPs have made, the ruling PF is showing that it also wants to have a share of the cake.

He says by being silent the ruling party is also acting like a rabbit that is caught in a glare of a head light and is frozen to a point of not doing anything.

The ULP leader adds that by being silent over the said matter the ruling party is further showing lack of leadership.

But PF national chairperson Inonge Wina has told Qfm news in a separate interview that her party has not yet discussed the matter of MPs wanting to have a pay rise.

Ms. Wina, who is also Gender Minister, says this is why she cannot give her views over the matter as it may seem unfair to other members of the party as her views may be different to that of other party members.

She notes that for all she knows the majority of members of her party feels that the demand for a pay rise by MPs is an issue that needs to be considered very seriously and cautiously in view of the fact that country faces some challenges of poverty.