First Lady Thandiwe Banda has urged Zambians to perceive education as a means of getting out of poverty and a starting point for prosperity.

Mrs. Banda noted government has already made a deliberate policy of supporting young Zambians to have access to education.

Mrs. Banda said there is now need for Zambian parents to take advantage of this police and send their children to school.

She added that there was need to provide equal access to both girls and boys especially in rural areas.

She was speaking at State House today during the third First Lady for a Day Mentorship programme.

She explained that it for this reason that the programme is structured to empowering rural girls and boys with life skills in order to build their self confidence and instill passion and provide career guidance.

Mrs. Banda stated that it is difficult to achieve the best in life without proper education, adding that this is why education should be made a priority and a passport to any country’s development.

She further encouraged the participants in the programme to work hard and contribute to national development by achieving their education goals.

The First Lady has also thanked Stanbic Bank for its continued commitment to empowering rural communities in which they operate through programmes such as the Junior Achievement Zambia (JA Z).

Earlier, JA-Zambia Board Chairperson David Chakonta expressed happiness with the First Lady’s commitment to supporting the education sector in Zambia.

Mr. Chakonta said through the First Lady’s support, JA-Zambia will continue to empower young people with entrepreneurial and financial literacy for them to realize their potential and noble purpose.

And Stanbic Bank Managing Director Dennis Kennedy disclosed that his bank has spent over K120 million in providing support to education programmes especially among the vulnerable groups in society.

Mr. Kennedy reiterated his bank’s support towards initiatives targeted at improving the education sector in the country.

The First Lady for a Day Mentorship programme aimed at identifying school going children between the age s of 14 and 18 and impart them with knowledge in various life skills.

The 18 participants drawn from all the nine provinces of the country were awarded with certificates for successfully completing the Mentorship programme.

ZANIS

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango has prodded women in Zambia to work together and avoid pulling each other down in order for them to achieve a common goal.

Mrs. Nalumango said women were very influential in society hence the need for them to work hard and be supportive to one another.

She was speaking in Lusaka today when she officially opened a six day Zambia Union Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) Women Congress dubbed ‘revival and reformation’.

She explained that God was looking for women who are revived and transformed and are ready to uplift the lives of other women.

Mrs. Nalumango advised women not to celebrate their colleagues’ failures and misfortune but to help them come out of the hardships they are facing.

And speaking earlier, President of the SDA Church Harrington Akombwa said his church values the role women play in the church and society.

Pastor Akombwa said the women congress was a triennial conference held in order to bring women together and empower them with skills and knowledge for them to contribute positively to the development of the church and the society.

He noted that women’s influence in the church and society cannot be underestimated as they are the majority and can make good contributions if empowered.

And the organizing committee member, Charity Ngondo assured that women will utilize the lessons that will be learn in order for them to be transformed into revived people.

The congress, which is being hosted by the Central Zambia Conference, has been organized to impart wisdom and knowledge in women and has attracted participants from all the nine provinces of Zambia.

Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation ZESCO Public Relations Manager Andrea Makulu has hailed communities around the country and the law enforcement agencies for their continued support in curbing vandalism on the company’s equipment.

Mr. Makulu says that the electricity utility company has been working with the law enforcement agencies and the communities in protecting electricity equipment from being vandalized.

He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that ZESCO has beefed up and intensified security patrols on various ZESCO power installations.

He explained that the company has employed officers who are carrying out patrols on all ZESCO lines and substations to ensure that vandalism cases are reduced.

He expressed happiness that communities have been vigilant in protecting the equipment which he said was encouraging on the part of the company.

Mr. Makulu noted that there has been a significant reduction in the number of vandalism cases country wide.

He has since appealed to the members of public to desist from vandalizing ZESCO equipment as this would negatively affect the development process of the country and their communities in particular.

And The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has threatened to disconnect power supply from the Namwala Boma if bills amounting to over K782.5 million were not settled in full immediately.

In a notice of disconnection dated 11th April, 2011 obtained by ZANIS yesterday, the power utility company warned of disconnection as per section 14(2) of Chapter 811 of the Laws of Zambia.

The notice signed by the area Manager Joseph Soko also warned of legal action against non-settlement of the bills.

“Please take note that should you fail to pay and remain disconnected for more than twenty-one days, legal action will be taken against you and your service line/transformers will be recovered,” stated the letter in part.

And Namwala District Commissioner, Wilson Siadunka has appealed to government departments at the Boma to contribute money in order to settle the bill and avoid power supply disconnections.

ZANIS

The Passengers, Pedestrians and Cyclists Association of Zambia (PAPECA) has called on government to rescind its decision
to scrap off the code of conduct for Public Service vehicles (PSV) which compelled bus and taxi operators to paint their vehicles in sky-blue which has since been suspended.

PAPECA Lusaka Province Secretary Paul Phiri said the scrapping of the Statutory Instrument number 115 of 2000 will work against the will of many Zambians who will have difficulties identifying PSVs.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Phiri observed that now that the decision has been suspended, government should consider reverting to the old order of having all PSVs painted in sky blue for easy identification by the commuters.

He said the uniform colour of Public Service Vehicles brought sanity on the roads as contravenes of traffic rules could easily be seen and brought to book unlike where such vehicles are painted in different colours.

He added that the uniform colour has in some way reduced road traffic accidents as drivers of passage vehicles have been careful not to abrogate rules as they feared to be reported to the authority due to the distinguished colour of their vehicles.

Mr. Phiri notes that if the colour code is changed, people with bad intentions will take advantage of commuters who will not differentiate between public transport and private vehicles.

Mr. Phiri also claimed that his association was not been consulted on the matter and hoped that the views of the association will be taken into consideration.

Mr. Phiri’s comments follow government’s decision to suspend the scrapping of the colour code for public service vehicles (PSV) to allow more discussions on the subject.

Government through the Ministry of Communications and Transport announced on Friday that all PSV operators would be free to prefer colours of their choice following the abolishment of Statutory Instrument number 115 of 2000, which compelled bus and taxi operators to paint their vehicles in sky-blue.

But yesterday Communications and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa announced the suspension of Statutory Instrument number 31 of 2011 on the colour code for public service vehicles pending more consultations.

ZANIS