Government says the manufacturing industry is an important engine of economic growth as it contributes positively to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minster Richard Taima says this is why statistics on manufacturing activities in the country are a key component of monitoring the progress towards achieving goals and objectives in the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP).

Speaking in Lusaka today when he officiated at the opening of the International workshop on the manufacturing statistics, Mr. Taima said statistics play a vital role towards assisting government in policy formulation and decision making.

Mr. Taima noted that government also relies on timely and accurate statistics to monitor and evaluate all developmental projects being undertaken at international, regional and local levels.

He pointed out that a growing economy like Zambia needs statistics that can enable her plan for the development economic that can consequently bring about sustainable economic growth and improve the living standards of the citizens.

Meanwhile, Mr. Taima has also disclosed that government is aware of constraints and shortcomings in the production and dissemination of official statistical data in the country.

He cited inadequate funding for statistical operations, inadequate physical infrastructure and out dated legal provisions as some of the challenges that need to be urgently addressed.

Speaking earlier, Central Statistical Office (CSO) Director Elfreda Chulu said in the face of the global economic crisis, there is need for governments to step up efforts in improving the way of compiling statistics in Africa.

Ms. Chulu called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders within the region to work together improve statistical compilation.

United Nations Statistical Division representative Ralf Becker said there is need for countries to have a broad based understanding about statistics if the current data compiling is to be improved.

Mr. Becker explained that through proper understanding of official national information people will be able to make meaningful contribution to the economic growth of their country.

He also challenged governments in the regional to identify key areas that can result in having comprehensive and improving statistics in their countries.

He further thanked the Zambian government through (CSO) for hosting the workshop adding that it will go a long way in not only sharing ideas in statistics but will also assist in enhancing trade and manufacturing relations region.

The three-day workshop organized by the Zambian Central Statistical Office has attracted participants from Southern African Developing Communities (SADC), and the Eastern African Communities (EAC).

ZANIS/MM/AM/ENDS.

Government has called on the Water and Sewerage utility Company in Western Province to devise effective interventions aimed at addressing erratic supply of water in the Province.

The Western Water and Sewerage Company provides 7, 000 cubic litres of water per day to the residents of all the seven districts in the province against the required 14, 000 cubic litres.

Western Province Permanent Secretary Ikanuke Noyoo told ZANIS in an interview that the Provincial administration is concerned with the inadequate and unreliable supply of water by the Water and Sewerage Company.

Mr. Noyoo said there was an urgent need for the company to put in place effective measures to address the situation.

He lamented that the province has been experiencing erratic and inadequate water supply for the past seven years.

Mr. Noyoo pointed out that the erratic and inadequate water supply in the province was frustrating government efforts of enhancing economic development.

He expressed fear that if the water problem continues in the province, there might be an outbreak of water borne diseases in the province.

Mr. Noyoo has since advised the water utility company in Western Province to rehabilitate damaged tanks and repair leaking pipes as water was being lost due to leakages.

ZANIS/TK/AM/ENDS.

The Immigration Department has arrested a Malawian witchdoctor in Nyimba District for illegal entry into the country.

Immigration Public Relations Officer Mulako Mbangweta said the witchdoctor later disclosed to the police that he was hired into the country by an unnamed Zambian man to eliminate someone in the district where a named tribe is currently experiencing succession wrangles.

She told ZANIS in Lusaka today that there is however insufficient evidence for the police to charge him for an offence prompting them to hand over the suspect to the Immigration officers for prosecution.

Ms Mbangweta explained that her department prosecuted the man and found him guilty of illegal entry into the country later charged him a sum of K1 million which he since failed to pay.

She said the man is currently in prison serving a nine month simple imprisonment sentence.

Ms Mbangweta has since appealed to the public not to facilitate illegal entry of foreign nationals into the country as doing so is abrogating the Zambian immigration laws.

She has since warned would be perpetrators of prosecution and stein action against them once they are found guilty.

In another development, the Immigration Public Relations Officer has disclosed that the immigration department last week arrested four foreign nationals for illegal entry and stay into the country.

Ms. Mbangweta said the four include Guinean, Ugandan, Tanzanian and a Malawian who were arrested for various immigration offences.

She said the Guinean and Ugandan nationals were arrested for illegal entry, while a Tanzanian national was arrested for illegal with a 20 year old Malawian student being arrested for both illegal entry and stay in the country.

Ms Mbangweta said the Guinean and Ugandan were both charged K1 million while the Tanzanian was charged K750, 000.

She said the Malawian student was also charged a sum of K100, 000 but failed to pay and was therefore slapped with a one week prison sentence.

ZANIS/PM/CM/AM/ENDS