THE 21 percent hike in the price of petroleum products will not affect Zambia’s economic growth rate which has been projected at 7.5 percent this year, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Emmanuel Chenda has said.

Mr Chenda said despite triggering an increase in the delivery of consumer goods and services, the removal of subsidies from the price of fuel would go a long way in fostering infrastructure development which in turn accelerated economic growth.

“The intention behind the removal of fuel subsidies was not to rundown the economy but to invest in infrastructure development so as to facilitate economic growth,” he said.

Mr Chenda said the Government had already outlined and was implementing sound macro-economic policies to ensure the country attained massive growth especially in viable sectors such as mining and agriculture.

“Infrastructure development is fundamental in promoting trade and our quest is to develop this infrastructure so that all parts of the country are interlinked to attract investors, who will come in to develop sectors such as agriculture and mining thereby creating job opportunities for our people,” he said.

Government recently removed fuel subsidies in a bid to channel more funds to infrastructure development to accelerate the country’s economic growth which was currently growing at a rate of 6.5 percent.

Having already spent KR1, 195 million on fuel subsidies in the first quarter of 2013, the Government would have spent a further KR1.1 billion on the same by the end of the year.

BUS operators in Lusaka yesterday increased fares for all the local routes by a 16 percent following Government’s approval to hike the fares.

Flash buses proprietor Ishmael Kankhara confirmed in an interview yesterday that the bus fares have been increased by 60 ngwee across the board for all Lusaka routes.

Government last week allowed bus operators in the country to hike bus fares by not more than 16 percent of the initial amount.

‘We have today (Monday) effected the new bare fares by 60 ngwee, which translates to a 16 percent that was agreed upon with Government,” he said.

This would now mean that the bus fares for short distance routes would now be KR3.60 from KR3.00 while long distant routes would be KR6 from KR5.50

Bus operators last week had threatened to increase bus fares by KR 1 following the fuel pump price increase which was necessitated by the removal of subsidy on all petroleum products.

However, Government objected to the increase and called for a meeting with the operators, where the two parties agreed that the fares be hiked by 16 percent.

Government recently removed the five percent subsidy on crude oil feed stock , a move which has necessitated fuel increase on petroleum products by almost KR2.

And in Ndola Operators have hiked bus fares by KR 50 Ngwee for local routes and KR 2 for destinations outside Ndola.

This is according to a bus fare chat released and availed to operators by the Ndola City Council yesterday.

Taxi drivers have also hiked fares by KR 5 on all routes within the city.

This means commuters travelling from Town centre to places such as Itawa, Kansenshi and Masala will pay KR 2.5 from the old K 2 whereas those going to Chifubu, Ndeke and Lubuto will now pay KR 3 from the old KR 2.5.

The KR 2 increase in fares for long distance routes means commuters travelling from Ndola to Kitwe will now pay KR 18 from the old KR 16 while those going to Luanshya will now pay KR 12 from KR 10

ZAMBIA Revenue Authority (ZRA) workers have staged a countrywide work stoppage over improved conditions of service, but management described the action as illegal as negotiations have not yet reached a deadlock.

The work stoppage is also threatening revenue collection estimated in billions of Kwacha if it continues today.

The workers were angered by management’s decision to offer them 12 per cent for both salary and housing allowances instead of the demanded 20 per cent for both categories.

A check at its headquarters yesterday found a skeleton staff, comprising senior managers assuming various roles of unionised workers to attend to clients while many offices had been abandoned as most workers had left the premises.

The 14th day of each month is critical as tax payers flock to ZRA to pay taxes but this was not the case following the work stoppage.

Management and union officials were by press time engaged in a closed door meeting in an effort to resolve the impasse before it further aggravated revenue collection.

Commissioner General, Berlin Msiska issued a memorandum stating; “Finally kindly be informed that, for management staff, their monthly basis salary and housing allowance increment shall be implemented this month of May, 2013.

“For unionised staff, their monthly basic salary and housing allowance increment shall only be implemented in the month the agreement will have been reached and the Collective Agreement will be signed.”

Another letter addressed to ZRA workers union general secretary, Shadreck Kalunga and issued by ZRA director of human resources, David Ndumba, said union leaders asked for an adjournment to consult members on the final offer by management and was expected to give them feedback.

“However, to management’s surprise, it has been noticed that the ZRA workers union executive and its membership has withdrawn its labour. Kindly indicate, to management, why this development has taken place. We urgently await your response,” Mr Ndumba said.

And during a press briefing, Mr Ndumba told journalists that management was working hard to resolve the impasse.

Despite the skeleton-staff found operating, Mr Ndumba said operations were proceeding smoothly and appealed to all tax payers to continue making payments either at ZRA points or through bank services.

“There are no disruptions and all our border points are operating effectively and smoothly,” he said.

In Kitwe, workers at the ZRA offices on President Avenue spent time mingling outside with branch union leader, Kalenga Musonda saying the action would continue if management did not offer the workers the 20 per cent demanded.

A similar situation took place in Chipata, where workers were also found loitering around their work premises, with some who preferred anonymity saying operations at Mwami Border point would be paralysed.

Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, Kennedy Sakeni, has commended the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) for the platform it provides the International Telecommunication Union member states to exchange ideas and experiences that bring about an informed and knowledgeable society for enhanced development.

Speaking during the high level dialogue in a capacity of more than 50 ministers who are attending the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which officially opened today in Geneva, Mr Sakeni said Zambia places high premium on the role of the WSIS as an important platform for promoting the establishment of an equitable and a people centred society.

Mr Sakeni informed the gathering that Zambia sees the position of the WSIS as a significant platform in increasing its co-operation and technology transfer between and among nations at both regional and international levels.

“This has become even more urgent with the arrival of the Information and Communication Technologies such as Internet, Facebook, Twitter and other online social networks,” the minister re-emphasised.

Mr Sakeni also observed a greater change of the new frontiers of the media have had on the traditional media tools such as the newspapers, radio and television in transmitting news and information dissemination.

“These new frontiers of the media have reshaped what has traditionally been a preserve of the newspaper, radio and television in news and information dissemination,” he added.

During his presentation, Mr Sakeni also took advantage of his platform to inform the officials on Zambia’s commitment concerning the country’s transition from Analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television broadcasting.

According to the minister, Zambia is working to switch off analogue broadcasting television transmission by December, 31, 2014, in order to meet the ITU’s deadline of June, 17, 2015 when all countries in region one, which comprises Africa and Europe , are expected to have migrated to digital terrestrial broadcasting.

Mr Sakeni added that in view of this the Zambian Government has approved key technical and policy guidelines in order to facilitate and speed up the process.

He cited the adoption of the Second Generation Digital Video Terrestrial Television Standard (DVBT-T2) Extension of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) to areas in the country that are without the facility and review of the Broadcasting Licensing Framework which will allow infrastructure sharing and issuance of licenses for the provider and the distributor as the approved guidelines.

In enhancing Information and Communication Technologies development, Mr Sakeni also noted that the Zambian Government has put up a website where the general public can access information on Parliamentary debates as well as other Governmental development issues.

And speaking earlier, the Ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Betty Kings, highlighted the support that the United Nations is providing to Zambia in order to enhance the ICTs development.
Ambassador Kings cited the area of education which remains fundamental and a cornerstone in achieving the goal of ICT development as well as addressing the fight against poverty.

Other countries that made presentation on the progress and the impact of ICT development include Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
In Zimbabwe, there has been a number of ICT projects to promote development.

Currently, the Government in that country, like Zambia, will be extending the ICTs to the rural area while in Rwanda, leadership is paramount for purposes of making viable investments.

The International Telecommunication Union, the host, is the leading United Nations Agency for Information and Communication Technologies.

Its mission is to promote and extend the benefits of telecommunication throughout the world by implementing programmes in developing countries and developing global telecommunication standards, among others.
ZANIS

Zambia Wildlife Authority Board Chairman Guy Robinson says the newly appointed board and interim management have managed to reposition ZAWA into an effective wildlife management body.

Mr. Robinson also revealed that ZAWA has secured a supplementary budget of Kr 39 million to help it offset some of the financial challenges it has faced over a long period of time.

“My Board and I, as well as my management team with the support of Tourism and Arts Minister Hon. Sylvia Masebo, we can now certainly and more ably realize the Authority’s full potential in the management of the wildlife sector,” Mr. Robinson said.

Mr. Robinson was speaking in Lusaka this morning during a ZAWA media breakfast.

“In the past 4 months, a number of visits have been carried out in the field by the Vice Chairman – Mr Mushibwe, by me and the Interim Director General of the Authority- Mr Xen Vlahakis, as well as by other members of the Board and its various specialist Committees. “

He said, “These field visits have been vital in order to fully appreciate the status of our operations, to assess the work being carried out in the commands, and to help boost staff morale which had sunk to an all-time low. We have and will continue to assure and support our key field personnel of the Authority’s unwavering commitment to their noble cause and individual well-being.”

Mr. Robinson announced that Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda has secured Kr 39 million supplementary budget to support the authority’s vital operational areas.

Mr. Robinson said the Ministry of Finance will be releasing the funds in tranches over a period of six months which will go towards the payment of balances due to the Community Resources Boards.

He said part of the funds will go towards payments for ongoing Wildlife Police Oficers salaries from January 2013 to date.

Mr. Robinson also revealed that the treasury has continued to support ZAWA through a monthly grant of Kr 394,000.

And Mr. Robinson says a number of senior management posts including that of the Director General will soon be advertised.

“Since a number of key senior posts have been held in an acting capacity – some for several years, it had been resolved by my Board that a number of senior management posts would be imminently advertised. As such, terms of reference have already been produced and these vacant posts shall be publicly advertised locally, regionally as well as internationally as necessary, in order to recruit the best possible candidates,” he said.

Mr. Robinson said advertised vacancies shall be inclusive of the pivotal role of Director General, under a revised hands-on conservation enforcement oriented organisational structure that places greater emphasis on the protected area system than on its bloated Chilanga headquarters.

He added, “I am pleased to report that all salaries have been paid up to date and that the Board has instructed management to ensure that all statutory dues are paid in full and that the previous debts for PAYE (pay-as-you-earn) with ZRA and NAPSA are not allowed to grow further.”

On Tourism Concession Agreements, Mr. Robinson said all tourism concession agreements are currently under review.

“A task team, headed by a member of my Board, is currently in the process of reviewing the structure and content of the TCA’s (tourism concession agreements) to form the basis for a more user-friendly legal document that meets the interests of the parties concerned, protects the independence of the regulator whilst reflecting the dynamics of the public-private partnership and public procurement processes.,” Mr. Robinson said.

He said the current TCA’s are not very pragmatic to investors, adding “we shall create a new platform in which both parties – ZAWA and the private sector can derive sustainable benefits, the ultimate objective of ensuring the renewability of our delicate resource base.”

On safari hunting licences, Mr. Robinson said of the 12 areas which, as at 01 January 2013, were still holding valid agreements with ZAWA, 2 hunting blocks have been repossessed due to persistent non-performance and serious breaches of the law.

“Of the remaining 10 hunting blocks which will operate in 2013, quotas have already been set. I must emphasize that such quotas exclude the hunting of big cats and elephants, which remain banned and this decision is supported by a statutory instrument to be issued and which gives this decision legal effect,” Mr. Robinson said.