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Minister black-list Tomorrow Investments

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MINISTER of Works and Supply, Kapembwa Simbao, has black-listed Tomorrow Investments Limited and its directors and directed the National Council for Construction (NCC) not to renew the construction firm’s 2008 contractor registration certificate because the firm had performed badly.

Mr Simbao said Tomorrow Investments Limited was registered with NCC in 2005 when the authority began registering contractors.

The firm had fulfilled the gazetted NCC contractor registration requirements and there had been no documented adverse performance reports from clients and supervising consultants.

The minister who was speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, however, said the NCC must reject the application by Tomorrow Investments Limited to have their certificate renewed for 2008.

He said the firm had not yet submitted for renewal its NCC contractor registration certificate.

“It should be noted, however, that Tomorrow Investments has of today 8th January, 2008 (yesterday) not renewed their 2008 certificate.

Should they apply for renewal, the NCC will decline such registration in view of their demonstrated poor past performance and conduct,” Mr Simbao said.

The refusal of registration would also apply to any joint venture partners who undertook projects jointly with Tomorrow Investments Limited in the recent past and other contractors whose performance had been classified as poor.

The minister warned that the firm’s directors and joint venture partners would be held liable for prosecution individually and severally for any payments they received without any corresponding delivery of products and services.

Similarly, consultants and Government professionals found to have certified works of poor workmanship would be liable for prosecution and suffer commensurate sanctions.

“Such directors who shall be held for poor performance of their companies shall equally be excluded from future consideration by NCC even in the other companies that they may form or join,” he said.

All contractors whose applications would not be accepted this year and in future, would be advised of their shortfalls by the NCC and in compliance with the law, no unregistered contractor would be eligible for award of any Government contract.

Mr Simbao warned that contractors, consultants and clients found abrogating the provisions of the contract would be dealt with severely.

The minister said he had no idea who the directors of Tomorrow Investments Limited were and urged Zambians to report instances of poor performance to NCC without hesitation.

The Office of the Auditor-General on Monday began a project audit on Tomorrow Investments Limited to establish why the firm still received Government contracts despite doing shoddy works.

The probe follows President Mwanawasa’s order for an audit of the construction firm, which was doing badly.

Meanwhile, Public Accounts Committee chairperson, Charles Milupi, has revealed that the tender committee of the Ministry of Works and Supply awarded Tomorrow Investments Limited the Katima Mulilo Bridge contract against Mr Simbao’s advice.

Mr Milupi said this in Lusaka yesterday at the OAG media workshop on reporting expenditure and financial accountability.

Mr Milupi, however, said Tomorrow Investments was not the only company that did not perform well in year 2005 but that all companies working on capital projects performed badly.

He said none of the capital projects undertaken in the year 2005 were done properly because the projects were not completed on time, were of substandard quality, and outside the projected cost.

“None of the road projects were completed according to these three elements, this has slowed down the rate of development,” Mr Milupi said.

He cited the Katima Mulilo Bridge border project, Chirundu Bridge Border infrastructure, Mongu-Kalabo road, Mbesuma Bridge and the Nakonde-Kanyala road among others.

He was concerned that a number of contracts entered into with some contractors in the year 2005 disadvantaged Government.

He said there was a provision for advance payments in some contracts, which resulted in the payment of some companies, which who could not perform.

Mr Milupi said companies that were awarded Government contracts should perform without going back to Government for advance payments.

Government contracts were bankable and that financial institutions would be willing to give them loans on account of that.

He also said reports that K900 billion was not utilised in the 2007 national budget was a national scandal, which must shame everyone associated with it.
He said under-spending was just as bad as over-spending.

“In terms of budgetary management, what you say will be done needs to be done,” Mr Milupi said.

Auditor General, Anna Chifungula said the issue of the K900 billion unutilised money in the 2007 national budget would become an audit query if the money were not spent by March 31, 2008.

She explained that it takes three months for Government cheques to become stale and that there could be some payments yet to be made.

“That will become an audit query after March because the Budget will be out and the coffers will be clear. If the money is still there, we believe it will still be used,” Ms Chifungula said.

[Daily Mail]

Floods demolish 2 community Schools, destroys 400 fields in Sinazongwe

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Floods have razed down two community Schools and swept away more than 400 hundred fields in Sinazongwe district.

Nkandabbwe ward Councillor Partson Mangunje and Sinazongwe District Vice Chairperson Fisher Zimana who is also Nangombe ward Councillor disclosed to ZANIS that the affected farmers were from the two wards.

Mr. Mangunje disclosed that Kasika Community School and Siazwela collapsed in Nkandabbwe ward.
He said pupils were temporarily having their lessons in the near by Church.

“The situation is bad for the villagers who spent their hard earned money to build a structure to improve the future of their children and now it has been razed down,” Mr.Mangunje said.

Mr. Mangunje said 80 farmers were destroyed by heavy rains that have continued to affect the district.

Sinazongwe District Council Chairperson said floods have swept away more than 300 fields for the people in his area.

Mr. Zimana said six cattle were also killed by heavy rains and people were desperately in need of relief food.
He said several houses were also razed down and he was collecting data to find out the exact number of houses that have collapsed.

Mr. Zimana said some people who houses have collapsed were being sheltered at Sinanjola Primary School and Munyati Primary School while waiting for tents from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) from the office of the Vice President.
Several fields have been swept away and more than 200 hundred houses have collapsed though most areas such as Muuka, Dengeza, Siameja, Kafwambila, Siampondo, and Sinankumbi have noted been assessed because of the impassable roads.

Meanwhile the price of mealie-meal has continued to be hiked in Sinazongwe district as a bag of 25 kg bag roller meal is being sold at K70, 000.

Sinazongwe District Vice Chairperson Fisher Zimana said the highest prices are being witnessed in his Nangombe ward where the Nangombe Bridge has been damaged following the floods.
Mr. Zimana who is also the Nangombe ward Councilor said Chiyabi is the most affected because of the drastic reducation in the supply of the commodity as vehicle were felling to reach the area since the road was impassable.

He noted that in Malima area a 25 kg bag of roller meal was being sold at K50, 000.

The District vice Council Chairperson urged government to quickly intervene in the matter to save the people from further exploitation.

A Check on mealie-meal prices in Sinazongwe found that a 25 kg bag of breakfast was being sold at K47, 000 while a bag of roller meal was K38, 000.

In Maamba Township a 25 Kg bag of break fast was being sold at K38, 500 while a similar bag of roller meal was at K32, 000.
Floods that the district has continued to experience has also affected the supply of other essential basic food stuffs such as vegetables, sugar and beer has run out in some drinking places.
Mr. Zimana also said the Road Construction Company has started working on the damaged Nangombe Bridge along Bottom road from Sinazeze to Gwembe.

Maize mealie- meal is Zambia stepple food.

[ZANIS]

Two RCC workers repairing the cut off Maamba/Batooka injured

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Two people from the Road Construction Company (RCC) are battling for their lives in Maamba Hospital when the culvert they were working on along the Maamba/Batooka road in Sinazongwe district collapsed and buried them.

The incident occurred on Monday at Mweezhya where the culvert collapsed following the floods that cut off the entire Sinazongwe district from the rest of the country.

One of the RCC workers at the accident scene Febias Chibilika said three of them escaped unhurt.
Mr. Chibilika said the top layer of the culvert collapsed on them while they were trying to dry the water so that they could repair it temporarily to allow traffic to start passing.

He said the top layers of the soil buried his two colleagues Loyd Chami and Nerbart Siabana.
Mr. Febias Milandu one of the workers for RCC said heavy rocks collapsed on them adding that quick response from his other workmates rescued them from perishing.

A Check by ZANIS at the hospital found that Chami has a dislocation on the collar borne, fractured ribs and was in pain while Siabana had a fractured arm.
Road development Agency has contracted RCC and China Geo Corporation to do the emergent repair works on the damagwed and culverts by floods along Maamba Batooka road.
[ZANIS]

ECZ suspends Mopani’s leach plant project

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Zambia’s second largest copper and cobalt producer has had a new mining project suspended after the government decided it failed to meet environmental standards, an official said on Tuesday.

Edward Zulu, the director of the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ), said a leach plant project at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), a joint venture of Swiss firm Glencore International AG and Canada’s First Quantum Minerals , had been suspended.

“We did write to Mopani yesterday telling them to suspend the leach (plant) project until they implement what is in the environmental impact assessment report,” Zulu said on state television.

The ban comes only days after the government summoned Mopani officials to explain what authorities described as acid contamination in drinking water pumped to residents in a mining area.

Government officials said Mopani had been negligent and had caused the water contamination. They also ordered further investigations into how the water got polluted.

Dozens of residents in Mufurila, 450 km (281 miles) north of Lusaka, were treated at a local hospital for vomiting and diarrhoea last week after they drank water suspected to have been polluted with acid.

Mopani is one of several copper and cobalt mines carrying out infrastructure expansions and upgrades to boost copper production, which is Zambia’s economic lifeblood.

Inonge’s bid for the AU top post gains momentum

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Zambia’s bid for the African Union position of chairperson is gaining momentum with President Levy Mwanawasa requesting his Djibouti counterpart to support Zambia’s candidate, Dr Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika.

President Mwanawasa in a message delivered for him by Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and the AU, Patrick Sinyinza, has requested Djibouti President Ismael Omar Guelleh to support the Zambian candidature for the AU top post.

Ambassador Sinyinza who is in Djibouti as President Mwanawasa’s Special Envoy, said the two countries enjoy excellent relations hence President Mwanawasa’s request for support.

He said Dr. Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika who is Zambia ‘s current ambassador to the United States has vast experience and is a staunch advocate of the AU and NEPAD ideals.

President Guelleh in response, said he appreciated the gesture from President Mwanawasa and that his request to support the Zambian candidate for the AU top post was well received.

President Guelleh also hailed the warm relations between Zambia and Djibouti.

He said his country was anxiously waiting to receive President Mwanawasa on a state visit after the AU summit scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this month end.

The Zambian government has stepped up the campaign for the election of Dr Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika for the position of AU chairperson.

Recently, first republican president,Dr Kenneth Kaunda, as President Mwanawasa’s special envoy visited Ethiopia, Eygpt, Algeria and Libya where Dr Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika’s bid for the AU post of chairperson was well received.

The SADC region is also behind the Zambian candidate with Swaziland having withdrawn its candidate for the same post and declaring its support for Dr. Inonge Mbikusita Lewanika.

State happy with launch of NAPA

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Government says the newly launched National Adaptation Action Programme (NAPA) on climate change is a timely development that would assist the country to access funds under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Adaptation Fund.

And Government has appealed to people living in flood prone areas to move to upper lands in order to avoid their houses from collapsing due to the heavy rains the country has continued to experience.

Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Kaingu says even though government attaches great importance to mitigating the effects of floods in the country, there is need for communities living in areas prone to flash floods to complement government efforts by moving to higher and safer lands.

Mr Kaingu told ZANIS in an interview that government is concerned with the behaviour of people refusing to relocate to upper land despite government appeals that they move to safer lands in order to avoid more disasters.

Meanwhile, Mr Kaingu has described the operationalisation of the Climate Adaptation Fund as a timely development that would add value to the effective implementation of the National Adaptation Action Programme (NAPA) which is meant to address the effects of climate change.

Mr Kaingu told ZANIS in an interview that access to the fund would enhance Zambia’s efforts in implementing climate change adaptation programmes and fulfill the vision of poverty reduction as enshrined in the Firth National Development Programme (FNDP).

He said the adaptation programmes would cover sectors such as agriculture, water, forestry, wildlife and health among other areas vulnerable to climate change.

Mr Kaingu further said that Zambia would immensely benefit from the climate adaptation fund as the fund would mainly be accessed by developing countries that were party to the Kyoto Protocol and were particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

And Mr Kaingu has urged the Zambia National Tourism Board (ZNTB) to take advantage of the coming 2010 Soccer World Cup and the 2011 All African Games in Zambia and seriously market Zambia’s tourism potential.

Mr Kaingu said ZNTB should make the 2010 Soccer World Cup slated for South Africa and the 2011 All African Games to be held in Zambia as a marketing tool for the country’s tourism sector.

He also disclosed that his ministry is in the process of coming up with the carnival type of tourism which would enable the country to market its tourism potential meaningfully to other regions.

The Minister further disclosed that his ministry will hold an inter-ministerial meeting to see how the Zambian tourism sector can be marketed ahead of the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 All African Games.

Mr Kaingu has since challenged the private sector to take advantage of the World Cup and the All African Games to improve the hospitality standards and the communication sector.

UNIP urged to find other leaders

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A Ndola based senior citizen has advised the UNIP leadership to find a different people to steer the party for it to attract a formidable membership.

Mr. Isaac Chinyanta told Zanis in Ndola today that Unip needed a change of the Party leadership for it to restore confidence and vibrancy for any future challenges.

He said if the status quo was maintained in its current form, the party would never have a political revival because the political dynamics have changed.

He added that the old political ideologies that were the strength of UNIP at that time have been changed in greater detail and the game of politics was currently for those who would embrace change.

Mr. Kanyanta said he had been in politics long enough and for many years and was one of the freedom fighters in the pre-independence days.

He said the current wave of politics needed leaders with original ideas and visionary thinking whose perception of issues had a global picture.

He said the party’s past performance in both general and by-elections was a critical indicator for the party to reflect seriously on its future because it might not convincing parrot its former political glories to the upcoming youths.

He called for the party leader to become magnanimous enough to allow other able and politically spirited young Zambians to take over the party top position and steer it to meaningful political participation.

Kasama farmers threaten to manhundle PS

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Over 1000 farmers in Kasama yesterday ran amok and threatened to beat up Acting Permanent Secretary for Northern Province Gabriel Kaunda whom they alleged to have failed to convince his counterpart in the ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to release the additional fertilizer for Northern Province.

The Irate farmers who gathered at the office of the Permanent Secretary refused to disperse saying they needed an explanation from Mr Kaunda on why the farm input has not been released.

And group spokesperson Joseph Mwamba told ZANIS that farmers have run out of patience because the Ministry of Agriculture has failed to issue an official statement over government’s position on fertilizer.

Mr. Mwamba said the application period for compound ‘D’ fertilizer has elapsed and wondered why government was delaying in distributing the fertiliser.

He further explained that some farmers had already deposited their money for subsidized inputs into Nyiombo Investments Account with great hope that they were going to get the farm input in time.

Mr. Mwamba lamented that farmers in Northern Province were not ready to receive relief food from Government when they have the capacity and energy to cultivate and source for their own food this season.

And Mr. Kaunda disclosed that his office has tried its level best to liase with his colleagues in the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives but no promising answer has been given so far.

Mr. Kaunda said last week on Friday he wrote a letter to his counterpart and gave the ministry up to Tuesday 8th January, 2008 to issue an official statement over the matter.

The Acting PS however pleaded with the farmers to be patient and give his office up to Wednesday this week.

The confusion which attracted security officers from the Zambia Army and Zambia Police rushed to the Provincial Administration to calm the irate farmers and maintain peace for fear that Government Vehicles including the ministerial Vehicle might be vandalized.

Meanwhile, Black marketeers in Kasama are reported to be repacking and mixing compound D fertilizer with sand.

This came to light when one of the farmers who bought compound D fertilizer from Tazara market discovered that half of the bag was packed with sand and while the top contained real compound D fertilizer.

Mr. Katale Chilufya a peasant farmer of Mulobola Village was found at the market demanding for a refund from a named businessman who refused to pay him back his money.

He said it has become a tendency by many black marketeers who are buying the commodity from Nyiombo Investment at a cost of K150, 000 per bag of fertilizer to repack and mix it with sand to reap more profit.

Mr.Chilufya told ZANIS today that he bought five 50kg bags of compound D and two 50kg bags of Urea from the same person saying when he went to the maize field, he discovered that half of the bag was containing sand.

He has since appealed to the department of Agriculture and cooperatives to be patrolling the market places where fertilizer is being sold and arrest the unscrupulous dealers.

However, prices of fertilizer in Kasama have gone up as a 50 kg bag of both Compound D and Urea, which were selling at K158, 000, is now costing K185, 000 at the black market.

A check conducted by ZANIS today at Tazara, Chambeshi, and Chikumanino markets revealed that the traders have added K23, 000 to the previous price.

In some cases a 50kg bag of fertilizer which was selling K138,000 and K158,000 respectively has gone up by K20,000 and K25,000 due to the scarcity and high demand of the commodity.

NCC resumes sitting

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The National Constitutional Conference (NCC) today started sitting at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre, with the chairperson, Chifumu Banda calling on members to study documents containing rules and regulations of the conference.

The NCC is a forum that has been created to debate and adopt the Mung’omba draft constitution which it will subsequently present to parliament for legislation.

Mr. Banda said the NCC members should study the report pertaining to NCC procedures, rules, regulations and committees in order for them to contribute effectively to the deliberations of the conference.

Mr. Banda reminded members of the NCC to ensure that they, through the conference, come up with a constitution that would stand the test of time.

He said this after members commenced debates on the report of the interim committee.

Some members said it was difficult for certain members to understand the documents which they have just collected today.

To this, Mr. Banda said there was no need for such an excuse because the secretariat had been announcing that documents should be collected a day before the conference resumes sitting.

This was meant to provide ample time to members of the NCC to read the report of the interim committee and other documents.

“These documents are not meant to decorate your shelves, so I appeal to you all to take time to read these documents,” he said.

Mr. Banda also welcomed members of the NCC that were sworn in after it adjourned sitting before Christmas.

Earlier, interim Committee chairperson, Patrick Matibini informed the conference that the committee sat for five times from December 21st 2007 when it was constituted to January 5th this year.

Mr. Matibini said the committee was aimed at laying ground for the NCC through setting up rules and regulations that would govern the deliberations of the conference.

“We need to rise like a noble eagle in the Zambian sky. Zambia demands a durable constitution, Zambia deserves a durable constitution,” he said.

He urged NCC members to put their partisan and individual interests aside and focus on the interest of the nation in their deliberations.

The NCC would from today until January 10 when it will adjourn, consider adopting the report of the interim committee on rules and regulations, adopt the reports on report of the NCC committees, regulations 2008 and disciplinary committee proceedings and procedure rules, 2008.

It will further have a briefing by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on rules and regulations for election of disciplinary committee members, elect the members, chairperson, vice chairpersons and secretaries of the same committee and announcement of members of the general purposes committees.

The current sitting of the NCC will adjourn on Thursday January 10th, 2008 to pave way for the

official opening of parliament on January 11th.

The NCC will remain adjourned during the sitting of parliament because all Members of Parliament are supposed to be members of the conference.

The NCC Act provides that the conference sits for a period of one year, subject to extension if business is not concluded within twelve months.

Meanwhile, A retired politician in Ndola has called on Patriotic Front (PF) leader to tone down his responses on issues of national interest.

Mr. Isaac Kanyanta told Zanis in Ndola today that the PF leader should not be using scaring language to his members because leadership was about having a following.

He said there was need for him to be accommodating and welcoming for the party to remain strong and united.

Mr. Kanyanta added that the PF was a formidable opposition but needed to be accommodative when dealing with issues of national interest.

He was speaking in light of the suspension of some PF Members of Parliament for their decision to participate in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

He said such actions were sending wrong signals to people outside the party because the NCC was a national issue which needed the participation and input of every person regardless of political or religious affiliation.

Tana heading out on Thursday?

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Elijah Tana and three other late Zambia national team call-ups will leave the country on Thursday to join the Africa Cup-bound squad.

Faz revealed today that Tana plus the other two named late call-ups will join the team in Paris on Friday en route to Morocco.

The other two players on the same flight out to Paris are Zambia Under-23 defender Davies Nkausu of South Africa second division team Pretoria University including Green Buffaloes goalkeeper Mike Poto.

Zambia plays their final friendly international against Morocco in Fez on Saturday on January 12 before flying off to Ghana.

Tonight, Zambia takes on Tunisia in their final of two friendly matches against their hosts in Rades.

Zambia won the first match 2-1 on Sunday at the same venue.

Zambia will leave for Ghana on January 13 making Patrick Phiri’s team one of the first teams expected to arrive in the 2008 Africa Cup host nation ahead of the tournaments kickoff on the 20th.

Some projects funded by CDF, not viable

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.The District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) in Luangwa has expressed disappointment at some projects being funded using constituency development funds saying they are not viable.

During a meeting held on January 4, 2008 in the council Chamber, the DDCC members said Constituency Development Funds should be used to enhance development in communities and not personal gain for a few individuals.

Chairperson for the Planning Sub Committee of the DDCC, Lombe Makasa said the Constituency Development funds and the youth funds have not been used to the expectation of government as most of the projects were not viable.

Mr. Makasa said the Constituency Development Fund Committee (CDFC) has not been rehearsing with his committee to choose projects which are viable and sustainable.

He said the trend with the CDFC was that they wanted all the wards in the Constituency to benefit hence approving projects that were not viable and sustainable.

The DDCC members observed that some projects like requesting for funds to make a kraal should not be funded as this should be community participation.

Meanwhile, Two of the three opposition members of Parliament (MPs) in Mufulira District have welcomed governments move to increase the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) from the current K 200 million to the proposed K 400 million.

The MPs that have welcomed the gesture are Yamfwa Mukanga for Kantanshi and Percy Chanda for Kankoyo constituencies.

The duo told ZANIS in separate interviews in Mufulira today that the proposal was long over.

The MPs said further appealed to government to consider increasing the CDF to at least K1 billion for each constituency.

They added that increasing the money would be a good move as it will go a long way in implementing developmental projects.

But Mufulira Central MP Marjory Masiye says there was no point in increasing the CDF when such funds were usually delayed in being disbursed to intended beneficiaries.

Ms. Masiye lamented that Mufulira Central has for instance not received the K200 million allocated to the constituency in 2007.

And some sections of the civil society in the border town have appealed to government not to disburse the proposed K 400 million CDF funds to councils that have failed to account for the funds in question.

Development Education Community Project (DECOP) Executive Director Edward Lange says, as much as government was interested in bringing development to the masses, there was a lot of cheating in the whole process.

Mr. Lange has since appealed to government to come up with clear guide lines and stringent measures to avoid malpractice.

On Saturday, during, a rally in Mambwe district in the Eastern Province, Local Government Minister Silvia Masebo announced that government had proposed to increase CDF to K 400 million from K 200 million.

‘’Water contamination in Mufulira did not cause abdominal pains, vomiting’’.

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The National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) says the alleged contamination of water with an acid solution in Mufulira on the Copperbelt could not have been the cause of lower abdominal pains and vomiting among some residents there.

NWASCO Public Relations Officer Katendi Wandi said this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Ms. Wandi said following media reports of water contamination, NWASCO carried out investigations which revealed that while underground water was contaminated, the acid contamination dropped to levels not harmful to humans after treatment.

She said the investigation revealed that the reported cases of illness after taking the alleged contaminated water were localised and sporadic within Kantanshi casting a doubt as to whether the complaints of abdominal pains may have been caused by the water.

Ms. Wandi further said it was revealed that no other cases were reported in areas supplied by the same water plant in Mufulira or in areas closest to the plant where the contamination levels could have been higher.

She has called on health authorities to investigate the matter to ascertain the cause.

On Wednesday last week, about 756 people in Mufulira’s Kantanshi township drunk tap water alleged to have been contaminated with sulphuric acid from Mopani Copper Mine and suffered abdominal pains and vomiting.

Auditor General’s Office begins probe into Tommorrow Investment

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The Auditor General’s Office has disclosed that it has began investigations into alleged misappropriation of public resources by a construction firm, Tomorrow Investment Limited and its continued receipt of contracts from Government.

This follows President Levy Mwanawasa’s directive to the Auditor General’s Office to probe the construction company saying it had carried out shoddy works on roads in Eastern and Northern Provinces but wondered why it had continued receiving contracts from Government.

Auditor General Anna Chifungula disclosed that investigations to recover alleged misapplication of billions of moneys and culprits brought to book would be completed by Friday this week.

Ms. Chifungula told Journalists that investigations had already began with her first visit being conducted at the Road Development Agency (RDA), Zambia National Tender Board, Ministry of Works and Supply and other line departments today to establish what had transpired and those involved in awarding contracts to Tomorrow Investment.

Ms. Chifungula was answering questions from Journalists attending a two-day Public Expenditure and Accountability Media Sensitisation workshop in Lusaka today.

The Auditor General explained that a report from her office also reveals huge disparities about Tomorrow Investment misappropriating public resources especially on road rehabilitations.

Over the weekend, President Levy Mwanawasa during a public rally held at Chiutika basic school grounds in Mambwe district in Eastern province banned any further Government dealings with Tomorrow Investment Limited and a probe into the matter.

Dr. Mwanawasa’s decision follows the company’s alleged failure to complete several projects after getting Government contracts among them the rehabilitation of Chisegu/Mfuwe road amounting to K4 billion.

Meanwhile, Auditor General has challenged the media to take an active role in highlighting public expenditure and accountability to raise public awareness.

Ms. Chifungula urged Journalists to interpret financial and audit reports objectively and professionally saying doing so would deter and attract checks and balances from members of the public.

Ms. Chifungula said this in Lusaka today when she opened a two-day Public Expenditure and Accountability Media Sensitisation workshop organised by her Office.

The workshop is aimed at analysing audit and financial reports and report public expenditure.

The workshop has attracted several local Journalists from different media houses.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has disclosed that it will this year start auditing Councils in the country.

OAG Deputy Director in-charge of Performance Audits Aggrey Mukalasha says the decision to do so was arrived at last year during a Public Accounts Committee of Parliamentarians who made the recommendation to Parliament.

Mr. Mukalasha said this in Lusaka today at the official opening of a two-day Public Expenditure and Accountability Media sensitisation workshop organised by her Office.

Mr. Mukalasha attributed the delay in taking over the exercise by the OAG to unnecessary delays by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to appoint auditors.

He explained that the 1992 Public Audit Act gave the Minister of Local Government and Housing powers to appoint auditors to audit local authorities but Parliament realised that moneys expended by local authorities and unretired imprest did not reflect at the time the OAG compiled annual financial and audit report to the Executive.

Mr. Mukalasha further says this made it difficult for his office to account for the funds and yet Government releases grants of subsidies to local authorities.

The workshop is aimed at analysing audit and financial reports and reporting public expenditure.

The workshop has attracted several Journalists from different media houses.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mukalasha has maintained that the OAG is one of the most independent institutions in Africa.

He explained that Auditor General, (AG) Anna Chifungula enjoys constitutional powers to audit Government line departments and as well as other private public institutions in an effort to enhance economic efficiency and effectiveness.

The Deputy Director also noted that the AG has powers vested in her to appoint an Auditor to audit the Accounting Unit of the OAG to clear public concerns and maintain transparency.

Mr. Mukalasha further assured that often times the OAG has invited Organisation of Foreign Auditor Generals in Africa (OFAGIA) to carry out auditing at the Zambian OAG.

Lack of ICTs in rural schools worry Educationalist

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A Head Teacher in Kasempa in North Western Province says it is unfortunate that in this era, rural schools have continued lagging behind in Information Communication Technology (ICTs).

Lufupa Basic School Head Teacher Melody Matafwali said schools in rural areas need to be moving at the same pace with those in urban areas where pupils take computers lessons.

Mrs. Matafwali said her school which is improving in education and infrastructure needs to have computers saying at the moment the institution relies on business centres for all work that requires typing.

She further said pupils at the school equally have no access to computers, a situation she described as unhealthy in this epoch where ICT was the talk of the day.

Mrs. Matafwali was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kasempa when Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande visited the school to inspect construction works there.

Mrs. Matafwali however said it was sad that despite the school facing hardships in modern technology, it is recording a good progression rate for girls.

She revealed that 29 girls made it to grade eight out of the 71 pupils who sat for grade seven examination saying 28 boys passed with the majority of those who flopped being boys.

Meanwhile, Kasempa District Education Standards Officer (DESO), Bessy Tembo says the district is working hard to ensure it attains the Millennium Development Goal-MDG on Gender Parity in schools by 2015.

Mrs. Tembo said Kasempa district despite being in a rural area has been recording an increase in the progression and entry rate for girls into school.

The DESO noted that girls have also been kept into school due to various sensitisation strategies by the district Education board.

She revealed that with combined efforts from parents and teachers, the district is confident that it will meet the MDG on gender parity.

Govt. to develop bee-keeping policy

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The Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources has started developing a bee-keeping policy.
The Policy is meant to harness the full economic value in the bee-keeping industry and contribute to the socio-economic development of the country, and sustainable management of natural resources.

Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Public Relations Officer Bwalya Nondo said in a statement today that once developed, the Policy will provide the basis for formulation of an Act relating to bee-keeping.

He said although bee-keeping has a component in the current Forest Act, it does not adequately address the concerns relating to the industry in which there are many players involved, without proper regulation.

Mr. Nondo said a fully fledged bee-keeping Policy will not only provide an effective regulatory framework but also offer guidance in proper harnessing of bee-products to contribute to increased government revenue collection.

The Policy will also serve as a catalyst in ensuring that Zambian bee-products meet international standards by fulfilling established safety and marketing requirements.

He explained that the policy will further address issues relating to controls concerning importation of bee-products and equipment.

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