Former Works and Supply Minister, Ludwick Sondashi says he is the most suitable and qulified politician to succeed President Mwanawasa.

Dr. Sondashi said he has finaly made up his mind to contest both the ruling party and the Republican Presidency when Dr. Mwanawasa’s final term of office comes to an end.

He was speaking at press briefing in Lusaka.

Dr. Sondashi has pledged to sustain the fight aginst corruption if elected President.

The former Minister also said he will continue championing good governance and financial management.

He said he has a good relationship with the entire MMD membership who will be deciding on the next Presidential candidate.

Dr. Sondashi is among several Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) members who have declared their intention to stand for the presidency.

The Basic Education Teachers Union in Luapula Province has issued a two weeks ultimatum in which government should complete negotiations with its leaders.

This is contained in a Press Release to ZANIS in Mansa today signed by Luapula Betuz Provincial Chairperson Godfrey Chunga and Provincial Secretary Chanda Mutale.

According to the statement, the resolution was arrived at during a provincial meeting held on Monday.

The Union has warned that failure by Government to comply with the ultimatum would compel BETUZ to chat appropriate action which it did not disclose.

Mr. Chungu said the union was concerned at the delay of the bargaining process, noting that Government was encouraging unnecessary industrial unrest by delaying negotiations.

Mr. Chungu said the union with its members were demanding an increment of 80 percent in salaries and housing allowance to increase from K100,000 paid to K500,000.

He said the current housing allowance was meagre as no reasonable shelter could be rented at such an amount.

“It is amazing that while some people are getting a lot of money, for housing allowance, the teacher is denied this privilege,” he said.

Mr. Chungu said BETUZ in the province wanted 2008 to stand exemplary as a productive year by ensuring that pupils did not suffer from any compelled and unneccessary industrial unrest.

The union further appealed to Government to pay outstanding housing allowances to teachers for fixed band and consider the demand in the shortest possible time.

Government has disclosed that it is in the process of banning maize exportation to countries without active contracts.

Co Agriculture Minister Sara Sayifwanda disclosed this to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Ms Sayifwanda said Government was aware of illegal maize exporters to countries that have not had their contracts renewed.

She said Government will soon ascertain the quantity of maize the country has in stock before making a decision on whether to impose a ban on maize exports.

But She said maize would still be exported to countries with active contracts among them Zimbabwe.

Ms Sayifwanda said Zimbabwe is one of the countries which Zambia is supplying with the staple grain as it has already paid up for the exercise.

Zambia is expected to face a grain deficit following floods which hit some parts of the country destroying crop.

Government says it will soon review the current contract system to help curb shoddy works by contractors.

Works and Supply Minister Kapembwa Simbao says a number of contractors have taken advantage of the current contracting system which he described as weak.

Mr. Simbao told ZANIS in Lusaka today that the trend of shoddy contract works on various infrastructures is not only being witnessed among Zambian contractors but has also spread to foreign contractors.

He explained that one of weaknesses that contractors are taking advantage of is the liability period which is given to them upon completion of their works.

Mr. Simbao added that the period which is currently 12 months allows the contractor to repair and polish up any damages to the infrastructure before it can be officially handed over to government.

He said there is need to reduce the liability period once the system is reviewed as the long liability period enables poor contractors to have enough room to repair the poorly built infrastructure.

Mr. Simbao said unlike some contractors in Zambia that spend the whole liability period repairing parts of damaged infrastructure, European contractors would not usually have any repairs to do excerpt to improve upon the works.

Meanwhile the works and supply minister has disclosed that the Chirundu one-stop border facility at Chirundu border post is this year between April and May expected to be commissioned by President Mwanawasa.

Mr. Simbao explained that the facility could not be commissioned in November last year as scheduled due to heavy rains that interrupted the works at the site.

It is expected that once in full operation the one stop border facility will help expedite the clearance of passengers and the estimated 500 trucks that are marooned at the border post daily.

The ultra modern multi facility will also house Zambia National Commercial Bank, Immigration Department, Zambia Revenue Authority and clearing and forwarding companies among others.

The government reversed an earlier decision to ban Patriotic Front (PF) youths from participating in youth Day celebrations.

Sport, Youth and Child Development Minister, Gabriel Namulambe confirmed this in a letter to Patriotic Front Leader, Michael Sata which was also made available to ZNBC news.

Mr. Namulambe said in the letter that the PF youths have been allowed to participate on condition that their behaviour at the event is orderly.

He said the decision to ban the youths has been reversed in the interest of democracy and because of the orderly manner in which PF women participated in the women’s day celebrations.

The minister has however advised the PF not to take for granted the decision by government to allow them to participate in the youth day celebrations.

Mr. Namulambe said police have been instructed to ensure all participants at the youth day celebrations observe maximum order.

The Minister for Education says the government is still studying the prospect of introducing free education at secondary school level.

Godfrey Lungwangwa said currently the government is trying to ascertain the magnitude of resources that are required to offer free education up to grade 12.

He was speaking in an interview yesterday with ZNBC News.

The Minister said his ministry has set up a committee to see how this can be accomplished.

He said once the report is finalised it will be made available to the public.

Meanwhile Prof. Lungwangwa says the introduction of free education at primary school level has resulted into more children being enrolled into schools.