THE Central Statistical Office (CSO) has said that preliminary estimates of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) show the Zambian economy is expected to grow by 6.3 per cent in 2009.

CSO director, Efreda Chulu said the likely growth of 6.3 per cent was due to expected strong growth in the agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying as well as construction industries.

Releasing the latest economic statistics for the month of October in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Chulu said the real GDP in value terms was expected to be K4,003.0 billion in 2009 compared to K3,765.4 billion in 2008.

She said GDP in nominal terms was expected to increase to K64,326.1 billion in 2009 from K55,078.8 billion in 2008.

In his 2010 Budget address to Parliament early this month, Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane said the projected economic growth for 2009 was pegged at 4.3 per cent, representing a slight downward revision to the earlier projection of five per cent announced in the last Budget address.

Dr Musokotwane, however, said chances were bright that the five per cent target would not only be attained but also exceeded should economic conditions continue to improve in this final quarter of 2009.

Ms. Chulu has said the total imports by Broad Economic Category (BEC) in September were K1, 6434 billion in September, compared to K1, 7118 billion in August this year.

She also said Zambia recorded a trade surplus valued at K302.2billion in September this year.

Ms. Chulu said this was as a result of more exports than imports recorded in the month of September.

She said the country’s major export products in September were from intermediate goods.

She said the intermediate goods mainly comprised of Copper cathodes and sections of refined copper plates, wire and sheets of refined copper.

Ms. Chulu said Zambia’s total exports of raw materials accounted for 17.6 percent while consumer and capital goods accounted for 14.9 per cent.

The CSO Director however said the country’s import of capital goods such as machinery, vehicles among others accounted for 33.4 per cent.

She named Switzerland, South Africa, China and United Kingdom as major five destinations of Zambia’s exports in September.

Ms. Chulu said the five countries accounted for 82.5% of the country’s export earnings in September.

ZANIS

The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has asked government to dialogue with Mopani Copper Mines and consider relocating residents of Butondo and Kakonyo in Mufulira district.

CCZ National Chairman for Natural Resources, Sauros Phaika says people in two areas are faced with unknown health hazards from the waste disposed by the mines.

Reverend Phaika, says government should also consider meeting the investor and compel them to clear the waste rock litter from the processing plant in the two areas and other surrounding places.

Reverend Phaika said the litter from the mine plant has exposed the residents to toxic chemicals and has started causing serious health problems fro them.

Reverend Phaika said this in a communiqué read out at the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) seminar for Journalists on Natural Resources management in Lusaka today.

He said government should also bargain with the investor to start preparing an alternative residential location with necessary infrastructure where to relocate the residents.

He said the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) should commission an independent investigation through the technical expertise to determine the levels of sulphuric acid on the chemicals and check whether they are within the recommended levels by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Reverend Phaika said there was need for investors to ensure that local communities participate in issues affecting them.

ZANIS

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has announced that the annual rate of inflation as measured by all consumer items has declined from 13.0% in September to 12.3% in October this year.

CSO Director Elfreda Chulu says the decline was as result of a decrease in some food prices adding that food products accounted for 6.0 percent while non food products accounted for a total of 6.3 per cent.

She was speaking at the CSO monthly bulletin in Lusaka today.

And Ms. Chulu has said preliminary estimates of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) show that the country’s economy is expected to grow by 6.3 percent this year.

She said this is because of the strong growth of the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries among others.

Ms. Chulu said the GDP for this year is expected to be at K4003.0billion compared to K3, 765.4 last year.

Meanwhile, Ms. Chulu has said the total imports by Broad Economic Category (BEC) in September were K1, 6434 billion in September, compared to K1, 7118 billion in August this year.

She also said Zambia recorded a trade surplus valued at K302.2billion in September this year.

Ms. Chulu said this was as a result of more exports than imports recorded in the month of September.

She said the country’s major export products in September were from intermediate goods.

She said the intermediate goods mainly comprised of Copper cathodes and sections of refined copper plates, wire and sheets of refined copper.

Ms. Chulu said Zambia’s total exports of raw materials accounted for 17.6 percent while consumer and capital goods accounted for 14.9 per cent.

The CSO Director however said the country’s import of capital goods such as machinery, vehicles among others accounted for 33.4 per cent.

She named Switzerland, South Africa, China and United Kingdom as major five destinations of Zambia’s exports in September.

Ms. Chulu said the five countries accounted for 82.5% of the country’s export earnings in September.

ZANIS

ZESCO acting managing director, Cyprian Chitundu has said the company’s optic fibre network will not be sold together with Zamtel although the power utility firm is in talks with the telecommucations firm as the anchor customer.

Mr Chitundu said in an interview in Lusaka that Zesco had been in talks with Zamtel as the targeted anchor customer for the optic fibre network but it would not be sold together with the telecommuncations company set for partial privatisation.

He was reacting to the story in yesterday’s edition of The Post alleging that State House was exerting pressure on Zesco for it to have the optic fibre network sold as part of Zamtel assets.

Mr Chitundu said because Zesco did not have the capacity to fully utilise the network, it wanted Zamtel to be the focal customer to maximise the use of the facility.

“We have been in discussion with Zamtel for sometime now because we have common interest in that we are now both in the telecommunication industry. We want to have Zamtel as our anchor customer for the optic fibre network,” he said.

“We have never been under pressure from State House or any other person to have the optic fibre network sold as part of Zamtel assets and that shall not happen,” Mr Chitundu said.

He said technically, it would not be possible for the two organisations not to talk to each because of the way the systems were and there was nothing sinister about the two engaging in talks.

Mr Chitundu said it was sad and unfortunate that such reports were coming up when the sale process for Zamtel was going on.

The Post story alleges that President Rupiah Banda, through his two advisors who included Joseph Jalasi for legal engaged Zesco over the network.

It further says that Mr Jalasi and another presidential advisor as well as Zambia Development Agency chief executive officer, Andrew Chipwende had been on Zesco’s top management over the same issue.

[Times of Zambia]