National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) has recommended to government on the need to implement a time frame policy that would discourage the would-be investors to easily pull out of the country.

NUMAW president, Mundia Sikufele, said that once the time frame policy is adopted, investors coming into the country particularly in the mining sector would not be running away whenever they felt like as the would-be investors would only be free to leave the country after a specified period.

Mr. Sikufele said in an interview with ZANIS that this would guarantee the job security of the Zambians.

He added that any investors who would intend to leave the country before the contract expired would have the assets forfeited among other things.

Mr. Sikufele said although the mining sector was greatly affected by the falling copper prices, that there was need for the interests of the Zambians to be protected whenever government is bargaining with the foreign investors.

He said the current job losses that the country is facing are as a result of the mine closures that did not only hinder individual progress but also impacted negatively on the country’s economic development.

Mr. Sikufele however said government was responding positively to the recommendations that the union had made.

He said government should involve the Union leaders whenever it signed agreements with investors so that unions are able to table their concerns and see to it that the interests of the Zambians are taken into consideration before deals are signed.

Other recommendations were that government should see to it that the foreign investors complied with the country’s labor laws as well as adopt a work culture that would not exploit the workers.

He also said that government should include health and safety policies in the agreement, which he said needed to be improved.

ZANIS/MP/MKM/ENDS.

Kafue District Council has commended government for creating the rural water supply and sanitation programme which will ensure equity in service delivery in terms of water supply and sanitation.

The council is this year under the programme expected to drill 80 boreholes in the district at a cost of more than K2 billion stating in the first week of April. Priority of the programme will be given to unsupplied areas and rehabilitation of broken water points.

Kafue District Council Vice Chairman, Harry Baron, disclosed this in Kafue at the weekend during the district’s world water day celebrations held in Kabweza area under the theme “shared water, shared opportunities”.

Mr. Baron said the programme will among other things focus on developing dams for productive use such as irrigation, promote sanitation and hygiene as well as fight the HIV scourge in beneficiary communities.

Mr. Baron called on communities to benefit under the programme to take a central role in planning and maintaining the facilities once government drills the boreholes.

Kafue acting District Commissioner, Henry Bowa, said water was critical to the country’s sustainable water development and in poverty eradication.

He said government was committed to addressing the problems of water scarcity in the country.

Mr. Bowa also noted with happiness that government through the ministry of local government and housing was implementing the rural water sanitation and supply programme in the district.

He said his office was aware that billions of Kwacha have been pumped in the programme by the Danish government to ensure the country attains its millennium development goals on water.

He said with this programme in place, many people in Kafue rural will have water closer to their homes.

Mr. Bowa appealed to every Zambian to support government in ensuring that water resources are well managed.
ZANIS/BS/MKM/ENDS.

Government says it would endeavor to support institutions that compliment its efforts in providing educational survival skills to people in the country.

Speaking during the graduation of 32 students in computer skill at New Dawn Computer Training School over the weekend, Namwala District Administrative Officer, Godwin Sanjase, said government would always appreciate initiatives aimed at improving the standards of education in the country.

Mr. Sanjase noted that the initiative by the school, which is being run by the Catholic Church, was the first in the district and urged other business houses to emulate the Church in complimenting government’s efforts in the education sector.

He said the government would ensure that the school was registered with the Technical Education and Vocation Training Authority [TEVETA] so that students would be able to compete favorably with other students in the country with computer skills.

Mr. Sanjase also urged the graduating students to use their computer skill to start their small scale businesses.

“I am urging you to use the computer skills you have been taught here and start your own small business. It could be making birthday cards or anything saleable to the community,” said Mr. Sanjase.

ZANIS/ENDS/FM/EB.

A Combined team of the Zambia Police Service Intellectual Property [IP] Unit and other security agencies have unearthed a multi million Kwacha scam of counterfeit drinks manufactured in Lusaka’s Zingalume area.

This is the second largest successful operation that security agencies have made in Lusaka in the recent past, the first being an illegal manufacturing plant in Chinika area discovered early last year.

One suspect has since been arrested in connection with the Zingalume scam which is believed to have been going on since the year 2006.

The combined team of security personnel that stormed the area following a tip off from members of the public also impounded a truck loaded with fake carbonated drinks destined for Southern Province.

The drinks seized are under the brand of Ziee and Taico lemonade drinks.

Intellectual Property (IP) Specialist, Kingsley Nkonde who led the team, has confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr. Nkonde said the combined team of security officers raided three separate houses in Zingalume and seized large consignments of drinks.

The team that went into the operation area shortly after mid night also seized huge consignments of empty bottles and other packaging materials.

“We have impounded one Fuso truck loaded with fake drinks destined for Southern Province,” said Mr. Nkonde.

Mr. Nkonde said the government has lost millions of Kwacha through unpaid tax.

The IP specialist also said other than the government losing millions of Kwacha through unpaid tax, the dealers were also risking the lives of the unsuspecting customers by manufacturing such products in unhealthy conditions.

He warned that security agencies will not rest to ensure that the country is rid of counterfeit products.

Large consignments of chemicals used in the manufacturing of drinks which are added to the drinks without following any specifications have also been seized.

The team further discovered that a total of 300 drinks are made daily with the market being mainly outside Lusaka.

Police service spokesperson Bonny Kapeso when contacted for a comment said he had not yet reached the office.

Mr. Kapeso promised to issue a statement later.

ZANIS/ENDS/JM/EB.