Road Development Agency Board chairperson Willy Nsanda says the Patriotic Front government will leave no stone un-turned in its efforts to improve the country’s road infrastructure.

Speaking in an interview with Qfm news, Mr. Nsanda says the recent inspections of the progress being made in the road projects by him and republican President Michael Sata is an indication of the PF’s resolve to ensure that road works are done on schedule.

He says so far government is happy with the progress on many road works across the country.

Mr. Nsanda has also pointed out that government is not being too hard contractors but that its desire is to ensure that work is done for the Zambian people.

He has further urged critics to prove government wrong if the roads won’t be done within the stipulated time frame.

QFM

Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) President Fredrick Mutesa says the MMD’s loss of the status of official opposition in parliament is insignificant.

Dr. Mutesa said that apart from the material privileges that the leader of the opposition in the house enjoys, the MMD as a party will not in any way be affected.

He says the MMD should therefore focus on its role of offering checks and balances to the PF government.

Dr. Mutesa has observed that the speaker was however within the parliamentary regulations to have stripped the MMD of the recognition after it lost some seats falling short of the 53 seats required for political party to be recognized as the official opposition.

Dr. Mutesa was speaking to QFM news.

QFM

Mopani Copper Mines PLC has handed over a cheque worth K80 million to the University of Zambia (UNZA) towards the successful hosting of the School of Mines symposium.

Presenting the cheque to UNZA Vice Chancellor Stephen Simukanga at the UNZA School of Mines in Lusaka today, Mopani Copper Mines Chief Services Officer Moses Chilangwa observed that the mining industry which is growing at a phenomenal rate currently faces a critical shortage of skilled personnel.

Mr Chilangwa said the industry lacks suitably trained and experienced technical personnel to support its operations.

He said the situation is compounded by the fact that graduates from local institutions do not possess the skills and competencies required for them to immediately fit into the jobs offered by the industry.

Mr Chilangwa stated that in most cases the recruiting companies have to retrain the graduates with on the job competencies at a very high cost.

He said it is his company’s firm belief that the symposium will help find workable solutions to the various challenges being faced in the mining industry particularly in the training and development of mining personnel.

The Mopani Copper Mines Chief Services Officer expressed delight to note that UNZA has set out on a path of reformation even as competition and demand for quality continues to grow.

He remained optimistic that UNZA, as a pioneer training institution in the country and using the School of Mines, will assist in bridging the skills gap and help to develop, train and produce graduates who are up to date with current technology methods in the mining industry.

Mr Chilangwa said his company will continue working in collaboration with UNZA to ensure a mutually beneficial environment is created where learning and industry move together and compliment each other’s efforts.

And speaking at the same function, UNZA Vice Chancellor Stephen Simukanga thanked Mopani Copper Mines for the gesture saying it will go a long way in ensuring the successful hosting of the mining symposium.

Professor Simukanga said UNZA and Mopani Copper Mines share a long standing relationship which dates back to the times when Mopani Copper Mines was known as Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM).

He said it was good that companies that were operating in the country plough back some of their profits back to the community through their corporate social responsibility programmes.

Prof. Simukanga further stated that it was through gestures like the one Mopani made that strengthens the linkages between graduates and the industry.

He hoped that the partnership will also culminate into the rehabilitation of the school.

Prof. Simukanga urged Mopani to also help equip the School of Mines with state of art equipments so that students are fully drilled for industry.

-Konkola Copper Mines has spent K6 billion on revamping operations at the Kitwe Trades training institute.

Vice President Dr Guy toured the institution Scott today during which he was briefed about the support that KCM has given the institution.

During the tour, Dr Scott was impressed with the operations of the training centre where people especially youths get skills training in fields such as power electrical , auto mechanics and electronics among others.

During the Visit, the vice president was accompanied by Copperbelt minister Mwenya Musenge, Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Stanford Msichili, Patriotic Front senior provincial officials, district commissioners from around the province and other senior government officials.

And speaking before the vice president toured the training centre, KCM director for Economic Development Howard Chilundika said the Mining Company spent the K6 biliion on the institution in the past two years.

Mr Chilundika said K3 billion was spent on refurbishing the infrastructure at the institution while another K3 billion was used to purchase and improve the training equipment.

He added that the institution has partnered with some organizations in India to try and help improve the provision of skills to students.

The Vice president has since left for Chingola where he is expected to continue with his tour of the Konkola Copper mines operations.

ZANIS

The Copperbelt University has been rated among the best 100 universities in Africa as the institution clocks 25 year of existence.

The University has also been ranked at 7, 578 out of 49,713 universities globally coming very close to very old institutions such as the University of Cape Town which is ranked number one in Africa.

This was revealed by acting Copperbelt University Vice Chancellor Professor Naison Ngoma during the University’s silver Jubilee / African University day non-graduating students awards giving ceremony in Kitwe yesterday.

Professor Ngoma said the university has great future given the great achievements it has scored within the short period it has been in existence.

He said the institution is now targeting a position below number 30 within the next four years.

He whoever bemoaned the various challenges the institution is facing in its quest to be among the most preferred oasis of knowledge and a dynamic centre of excellence in Africa and beyond.

The Copperbelt University acting vice Chancellor cited challenges such as inadequate infrastructure for lectures, students’ accommodation and offices for lecturers and researchers.

He also cited the inadequate grant from government and the insufficient number of lecturers.

And Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga urged the institution to come up with industry tailored programmes that will enable graduating students to easily integrate in the existing labour market.

Mr Kamanga observed that some graduates were finding it difficult to find employment because the programmes in which they have been trained were not demanded by the existing labour market.

He urged the university to further introduce entrepreneurial skills in their curricular to enhance graduates employability.

And the District Commissioner assured the University management that government will continue to financially support the institution to enhance its operations.

He however challenged management to engage the private sector such as the mining houses in addressing the challenges of the institution as government alone could not address the problems of the university.

The Copperbelt University celebrated its Silver Jubilee this year on 12th November under the theme ‘Promoting University-Industry Linkages for Graduate Employment’.

ZANIS

Two children, one of them below one year, were on Wednesday crushed to death when a concrete pillar collapsed on them after a vehicle hit into their house in Lusaka’s Chunga Township.

Driver of the vehicle, identified as John Kapini, was reversing and in the process hit into the pillar of the house where the two girls were playing.

Lusaka Province police chief, Joyce Kasosa said in an interview yesterday the two girls died on the spot before the driver sped off.

“Two toddlers of Chunga Township yesterday (Wednesday) around 14:30 hours died after a Toyota Sprinter, registration number ABG 4218, driven by John Kapini also of Chunga hit the pillar of their house as they were playing. The pillar fell on them and they died on the spot,” Ms Kasosa said.

The girls have been identified as Victoria Kasenya, 5 and Saliya Banda, who was less than a year old, both of House number 21110 in Chunga.

“The driver is on the run and we have launched a vigorous man hunt for him,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Kasosa said police were still investigating the murder of Patriotic Front (PF) member, Menyani Zulu who was recently killed in Rufunsa.

She said police were still interviewing the seven people currently in custody to ascertain their involvement.

Among those detained is United Party for National Development (UPND) Lusaka province chairperson, Adrian Bauleni.

And Police service spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela said two cyclists were knocked down in Mambwe District in Eastern Province when a motor vehicle was about to overtake another.

The accident occurred on Wednesday around 11:00 hours at Yosefe village.

Involved was a Toyota Corolla, registration number ALB 1762, driven by Lazarous Zulu, of Mambwe District.

The accident happened when the driver wanted to overtake a vehicle and in the process went to hit two cyclists.

“The victims have been identified as Margret Zulu who died on the spot while Jessy Zulu died at Kakumbi Rural Health Centre,” Ms Kanjela said. The driver is on the run.

In Central Province, police have picked a body of a male person who is believed to have been hit by a motor vehicle.

The accident occurred on Wednesday around 20:00 hours on the Great-North Road in Chisamba area.

She said the body was discovered around 20:00 hours with a national registration card in the pocket reading Peter Kasweka, 24.