President Rupiah Banda has called for high standards of quality education to provide a rich Human resource for the country’s development.

Mr. Banda said it was imperative that the country develop quality human resource with quality skills, and positive attitudes towards work which would translate into enhanced patriotism and commitment to Zambia’s development agenda.

The President said this in Lusaka today during the third graduation ceremony of Cavendish Institute of Research and Development.

He stressed that the country requires creative, innovative and educated people in order to develop the critical human capital needed for the knowledge-based economies of the 21st century.

Mr Banda said such attributes can only be produced by the nature of the education system in the country, which he said had to be relevant and responsive to national priorities and aspirations.

“My government expects all tertiary institutions like universities to strive to attain excellence in human resource development, in service training, corporate training, and consultancy and research if they are to make positive contribution to socio-economic agenda in Zambia”, he said.

The President was glad to learn that Cavendish University Zambia provides a quality learning environment and has adequate and competent staffs that are supported by an efficient and effective management system.

And speaking earlier, Cavendish Zambia Vice Chancellor Katrina Salati said Cavendish University Zambia was part of a global network of universities and colleges with education services that are of universal standard.

Ms Salati said her institute was committed to contributing to Zambia’s development agenda through offering quality education.

She said her university believed that to develop the country needs educated men and women to spearhead the growth and development of the economy of the country.

Meanwhile , President Banda has challenged local universities to make research as top priority of their agenda, saying locally generated research provide solutions to the many vexing problems the country faces.

Mr Banda however cautioned education providers to adhere to regulations to ensure that they do not allow haphazard establishment of institutions especially universities with poor standards, adding that students should have value for their money.

Speaking at the same function, the President particulary thanked Cavendish University for providing quality education in Zambia . He implored the graduates to work hard and make education their asset and investment.

Mr Banda said it was through education that the gradates had acquired that would help them to make positive contribution to the advancement of the nation.

He advised them to uphold good behavior as they enter the society, saying for them to be successful in all their endeavors required not only hard work but also self discipline.

ZANIS

A British based company, Chayton Capital says it has invested $ 50 Million (US Dollars) in Zambia’s agriculture infrastructure development and transport.

Company representative, Neil Crowder revealed this in London today during the UK-Zambia Investment Forum attended by Vice-President George Kunda.

He said another $200 Million will be pumped in the Zambian economy in the near future depending on the performance of the company in the country.
Mr Crowder said his company has chosen Zambia for investment because of its high agriculture potential, such as favourable climate, abundant water resources and also its geographical comparative advantage for export into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He also said the Zambian government has made agriculture development a priority as evidenced by the reserving of 1 million hectares of land for cultivation and investment.

Mr Crowder further said his company has also been attracted by the country’s good governance record, political stability and property rights, among others.He observed that among the incentives further attracting investment is the reduced duty by the Zambian government on imports relating to agricultural machinery and the farming dividends and profits tax-exempt for the first 5 years of operation.

Others are the 100 per cent tax allowance for outlay on land development, conservation and wear and tear allowance of 50 per cent for the first two years on machinery employed for agriculture.

Mr Crowder further said the 50 per cent depreciation rate, allowing machinery to be written off also contributed to the company’s financial investment in the Zambian economy.

The one-day Forum, whose theme was “Enhancing Economic Growth through Competitiveness, Diversification and Infrastructure Development” was being attended by a high-level Zambian delegation that included Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Felix Mutati, His Works and Supply counterpart, Mike Mulongoti, Bank of Zambia Governor, Caleb Fundanga, Finance Bank Chairman Rajan Mahtani, among others.

On the British side were over 100 carefully selected delegates representing UK and European businesses.
ZANIS

By LT Blogger

More than 30 workers working for Global Drilling Services Ltd, a Zambian company based in Livingstone, were left stranded in the Gwembe valley in Southern Province for more than one month without food and basic needs. This was after the company which was contracted to drill for coal exploration failed to undertake the works. Global Drilling Services Ltd was contracted by an Indian firm, Era Power and Infrastructure (Z) Ltd.

It is reported that Global Drilling Services was awarded the tender to drill more than 3700 meters of coal exploration in the southern coal block in the Gwembe Valley. However, Global Drilling Services Ltd failed to drill even a meter despite being paid more than 81 000 US Dollars towards mobilisation. The stranded workers complained that they were left stranded in the bush for more than one month in Gwembe Valley whilst the company owner was in Livingstone spending the money.

It is reported that the owner and his directors never went back to the Gwembe Valley after receiving the mobilisation funds and left the workers starving in the bush.

Some of the workers spoken to who sought anonymity claimed that their employer engaged them from Mazabuka’s Munali Hills near Albidon Mine and ferried them to the Gwembe Valley to drill. The workers also complained that Global Drilling Services Ltd engaged them without giving them any form of contracts and that the employer only promised to pay them five million kwacha (K5 000 000.00) each every month .

The workers further explained that their employer failed to provide the equipment needed to do the works and neglected to pay salaries. This forced the workers to start abandoning the site one by one and the site has since been abandoned. Global Drilling Services Ltd is also reported to owe various suppliers of goods and services more than seventy five thousand US Dollars.

This development echo’s the various concerns by foreign investors to offer contracts to Zambian companies, as most local contractors fail to do the works despite being paid huge amounts of money.

This has further delayed the opening of the new coal mine which is poised to bring a total of $1.8 Billion US Dollars worth of investment in the country. Era Power and infrastructure (Z) Ltd intends to build a thermal Power Plant in the area which will be in excess of 1.8 billion US Dollars. Global Drilling Services Ltd was supposed to undertake the works within a period of two months from October 2009 to end of November 2009.

Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba says the visit to the District by South African President, Jacob Zuma and his Zambian counterpart, Rupiah Banda is of significant economic importance to the district.

Mr Hamaamba told ZANIS in Mazabuka today, President Zuma is expected to visit Mazabuka on Wednesday next week where he is expected to commission the K 840 billion Zambia Sugar Company expansion project.

He said the visit by the duo is important to the district because it will expose the economic potential the district has to the outside world.

Mr Hamaamba said Mazabuka district has become a strategic economic base for the country because of the massive revenue contribution to the country’s gross domestic product.

He further said the commissioning of the project will help address problems of job opportunities for the local people.

Mr Hamaamba said the community will benefit greatly apart from the job opportunities because the company’ budget under its social corporate responsibility will increase.

He said Zambia Sugar Company PLC has been involved in the rehabilitation of schools, health facilities and the Keep Zambia clean programme through opening up of blocked drainages in Cholera prone townships such Ndeke and Zambia compound.

Zambia Sugar Company Corporate Affairs Manager, Lovemore Sievu who also confirmed the arrival of the two heads of state to the district said the visit is important to the company.

Mr Sievu said the commissioning of the project by South African President symbolises the strong economic bonds existing between Zambia and South Africa.

He said the expansion is based on a 50 percent increase in cane crushing capacity of the factory due to expanded sugar cane growing and the construction of new canals to deliver irrigation water to news areas of sugarcane development.

Mr. Sievu said the growth in the production comes from a combination of Zambia Sugar’s own estate operations, commercial out growers and small growers scheme adding that both new and existing totalling some 10,500 hectares.

He observed that as a result of the expansion, sugar production base is expected to 440,000 tonnes of sugar per annum, and increase of approximately 200,000 tonnes compared to the pre expansion period.

The second phase of the expansion was completed in April,2009.

Mr Sievu said Molasses production is expected to increase to 95,000 tonnes by the end of the project and that feasibility studies to investigate the production of alcohol for the national fuel pool will be undertaken.

He also revealed that if an ethanol plant proves viable, the company will be able to supply approximately 10 percent of the country’s fuel requirement.

Late republican President, Levy Mwanawasa officially launched the project on 18 September,2007 in Mazabuka.

ZANIS

Farmers in Kabompo District have already paid for all the agricultural inputs under the farmer input support PROGRAMME (FISP) FOR THE 2009 – 2010 farming season delivered in the district.

Kabompo District Agriculture Coordinator, Alikhadio Maseko confirmed the development in n interview with ZANIS in Kabompo today.

Mr. Maseko said all the 3,960 small scale farmers in the district have paid for this years farm input packs kilogramme bag of maize seed per farmer.

He said that he was pleased with the response by the farmers in the district because they have exhibited a spirit of alleviating hunger and poverty through agriculture.

Mr. |Maseko said he was also happy that Kabompo district this year became first staring, distributing farm inputs to farmers in the province and is expected to finish the exercise by Friday this week ahead of the other six districts.

He said the district received 3,960 x 10 kilogamme bags of maize seed, 7,920 x 50 kilogramme bags of D-compound and 7,920 x 50 kilogram bags of Urea fertilizer from government this year.

Mr. Maseko said the distribution of the farm inputs was done through farmer cooperative societies and farmer groups in accordance with the implementation manual.

He commended agriculture block and camp extension offices for teaching farmers in the district how to plant seed and apply fertilizer correctly in order for each farmer to expect bumper harvest.

Mr. Maseko said planting of maize began in November and was expected to end by December 15, this year in order to ensure good maize yield per hectare.

ZANIS