Two Miners escaped death in separate mine accidents on underground at Non Ferrous Africa Mining Company (NFCA) in Chambishi.

The two miners Chungu Davies, a miner captain of house number 2123 Nkwale street and Lawson Kalunga of house number 6 Milambo street, both from Chambishi township, are battling for their lives in Sinazam hospital in Kitwe.

In an interview with ZANIS Kalulushi today, Sinazam Executive Director Xisheng Qin said the two victims were separatly rushed to the hospital. He described the miners’ condition as not stable.

Dr Qin said Chungu who was brought to hospital at 14:00 hours yesterday is nursing head injuries which made the miner to bleed profusely.

He added that Chungu is likely to be discharged tomorrow.

Dr Qin said on the other hand Kalunga suffered a raptured bladder and will henceforth be admitted in hospital longer.

He explained that Kalunga’s condition was fare today as he was out of oxygen though he had problems with his hip bone.

Dr Qin noted that Kalunga also had a rare blood group O which was RH negative he said only five per cent of the Zambian population have the blood type.

He said the hospital was working hard to get Kalunga back to normal.

A check by ZANIS at the hospital found both patients in a stable condition though Kalunga was using tubes when eating.

And National Union of Miners and Allied Workers ( NUMAW ) Secretary General Goodwell Kaluba said his union was afraid at the rate of accidents at NFCA.

Mr Kaluba pointed out that the mine was quit scaring as was their source of worry to the members and the union at large.

He,however, appealed to NFCA to jack up in their safety standards and observe safety and to that effect it would be only prudent that when mines were inductioning people or new employees on safety.

Mr Kaluba urged the mines to be holding seminars concerning safety precautions in their operations.

But efforts to get NFCA proved futile at press time.

ZANIS

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) has entered into a global ATM alliance with China Unionpay (CUP).

In a statement to ZANIS issued yesterday by Standard Chartered Bank Country Corporate Affairs Manager Joy Sata, the company’s global network will now provide ATM services to CUP cardholders in 20 different countries and territories worldwide.

She said the bank plans to extend this service to other African markets adding that this service is now currently available in Kenya, Zambia, Gambia, Uganda and Botswana.

Ms. Sata explained that China Unionpay cardholders will now be able to withdraw cash and perform account inquiries at over 2,000 Standard Chartered Bank ATMs across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

She said the deal by the bank is yet another demonstration of the importance the bank attaches to the growing Africa-China trade corridor.

ZANIS

THE Government has paid the French oil firm, Total Outre’Mer, US$5.5 million for the acquisition of the 50 per cent shares in Indeni Oil Refinery but still owes it $16.7 million in other obligations, Ministry of Energy and Water Development Permanent Secretary Teddy Kasonso has said.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Mr Kasonso said the Government paid $5.5million as at the end of November last year but still has to pay outstanding debts amounting to $16.7 million, which it owed the former shareholder.

He was, however, happy that after acquiring 100 per cent ownership in Indeni, the firm was now running more effectively.

Mr Kasonso, who was accompanied by Director of Energy at the ministry Oscar Kalumiana, Indeni Oil Refinery managing director Maybin Noole and finance director Thompson Chikumbi however said, he regretted that there were numerous financial irregularities at the firm.[quote]

Mbabala Member of Parliament (MP) Emmanuel Hachipuka (UPND) chaired the parliamentary committee.

Mr Kasonso appeared before the committee to explain the financial irregularities as highlighted in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year ending 31 December 2007.

“The Government paid US$5.5 million for the shares and we still owe Total US$16.7 million,” Mr Kasonso said.

But Luena MP Charles Milupi (independent) questioned how the Government arrived at US$5.5 million to which Mr Kalumiana said independent auditors carried out an audit of the firm before deciding on the amount.

Mr Kalumiana said that Price Water House Coopers was the auditing firm that was engaged and at one point Total indicated that it wanted US$8.5 million but the two parties had to reach a compromise.

“In fact, Total was asking for US$ 8.5million and the auditors had to talk to them and reach an agreement,” Mr Kalumiana said.

But Auditor General Anna Chifungula said it was wrong for the Government to have engaged Price Water House Coopers, as it was not the registered auditor for Indeni.

As such, Ms Chifungula said there was a likelihood of conflict of interest in the whole auditing process, an observation that was also acknowledged by Mr Hachipuka, Nchelenge MP Ben Mwila (NDF) and Isoka West MP Paul Sichamba (MMD).

She said the other financial irregularity at Indeni was the withdrawal of funds that the Government had given the firm for its recapitalisation process.

Ms Chifungula said on November 27, 2008 the Government injected K16 billion to recapitalise the refinery but a day later, the money was withdrawn from the account.

“The bank documents here show that the money was withdrawn on November 28 and used to purchase US$4 million which was remitted to Total,” Ms Chifungula said.

During the period under review, Mr Kasonso said Indeni got its funding mainly from the sale of refined oil, light gases and crude oil processing fees.

Further, he said the Government injected K29 billion in installments for recapitalisation.

Mr Kasonso, however, agreed that one of the financial irregularities that Indeni experienced during the year under review was the payment of K91.950 billion towards recapitalisation as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the shareholder but instead ended up paying K97.750 billion resulting in an overpayment of K5.8 billion.

As of December 2008, Mr Kasonso said the money had not been refunded to the Government.

On failure to follow tender procedures, the committee said Indeni procured various goods and services amounting to K84, 262,186,109 from Fluor SA, ZAMEFA, and Fancraft among others.

Mr Kasonso however, argued that it was a normal practice for refineries to contract rehabilitation works to specialised project managing companies without tendering.

He said for instance, the engagement of Fluor was discussed at the shareholder level considering that Fluor was a specialised and internationally recognised firm.

[Times of Zambia]

AUDITOR General Anna Chifungula has said the Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) gave out loans worth more than K35 billion without insurance cover to three more companies apart from the defunct Zambian Airways.

Speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Chifungula said that in 2007, the DBZ gave out funds without insurance cover, contrary to disbursement procedures.

Ms Chifungula said that Zambian Airways obtained K12 billion, Moba Investment Limited got K3. 8 billion, African Textiles Zambia got K5 billion and Consolidated Mining Limited which got K14 billion bringing the total to K35 billion.

“The bank gave out over K35 billion without any collateral and this is against the Banking Act which clearly says that before one gets a loan they should have collateral.

“I can’t go to the banks with only my hands and say I want money. Even you, there is no way you can go to the bank and ask for money they will ask you for collateral,” Ms Chifungula said.

A search by the Times at the Patents and Companies Registration Office (PARCO) showed that Elias Simbeye of 6719 Mberere Road in Olympia Extension, Lighton Simbeye and Rabby Nambule of the same residence were the shareholders in the company in Consolidated Mining Limited.

The nature of business for Consolidated Mining was milling, transport and trading.
On the other hand, Ibrahim Ismail Yousuf of plot 12920 Mumbwa Road in Lusaka and Mohamed Zuneid Ismail of 16 D/687/ Mosque were the shareholders in African Textiles Zambia.

The nature of business for African Textiles Zambia was manufacturing and general trading.

On Moba Investment Limited, the search showed that the shareholders were Alex Kaoma of flat M6 Lubambe Centre in Parklands Kitwe, Nelson Kaoma of plot 5059 Zebra Street Nkana East, Kitwe and Virginia Kaoma of plot 5059 Zebra Street, Nkana East in Kitwe.

[Times of Zambia]