Zambia is poised to save about US $150 million per year in iron and steel imports following the setting up of the Kafue Integrated Iron and Steel by Universal Mining and Chemical industries

Currently, Zambia imports most of its iron and steel products used in the construction industry.

The US $120 million project investment when fully operational by next year June is expected to directly create about 6000 jobs and more subsidiary business.

Speaking during the brick laying ceremony at the plant this morning, President Levy Mwanawasa said the setting up of the plant will contribute to job and wealth creation in Kafue Town.

Dr. Mwanawasa further said the plant would augment the other efforts for similar opportunities such as Nikel Mining.

He observed that the people of Kafue have faced a lot of economic hardships following the problems at the Kafue Textiles Limited (KTZ) and the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ).

He said the problems at the two companies, which are the major sources of employment for the locals, have been a source of concern but stated that his administration has tried under difficult financial circumstances to address some of the problems.

Dr. Mwanawasa disclosed government a few years ago paid off what was owed by KTZ to its former workers after negotiating terms with them.

He revealed government will address in a more concerted manner some of the problems at the NCZ.

Dr. Mwanawasa urged youths to take advantage of the business opportunities that are opening in the area.

He said government has created the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) which they can use to start up businesses.

And Dr. Mwanawasa has pledged his government’s assistant to the plant so as to ensure that the project succeeds.

He said with the past failed efforts by the State to establish an iron and steel plant, that government was ready to listen to the problems that the company will face.

Meanwhile the President has however urged the company to ensure that it takes care of environmental concerns.

Speaking at the same function, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati commended financial institutions that have assisted the company in providing bridge up resources.

He said government was encouraged that local businesses have started investing in the Zambia economy.

And Company Director for Corporate and Public Affairs Bright Chunga said the plant will bring economic liberalisation on the country’s imported of the iron and steel products.

He said Zambians would from next year be able to build their homes using cheaper materials with readily available iron and steel products made locally.

The Iron and Steel project is a six year project to be conducted in three phases.

The company is expecting to produce about 100 000 tonnes of iron and steel per year in the first phase and reach 280 000 by the sixth year.

Government has constituted a technical committee to
spearhead preparations for the All Africa Games to be hosted by Zambia in 2011.

The committee led by Sports, Youth and Child Development Permanent Secretary Bob Samakai, has since identified four learning institutions to be sports villages during the event.

The institutions include Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce, the National Resources Development College (NRDC), the University of Zambia (UNZA) and David Kaunda Technical High School.

Speaking to Journalists after a conducted inspection tour of the UNZA’s Great East
Road campus, Samakai said the institutions would be used to accommodate the expected thousands of international athletes and officials.

Samakai added that some of the sports villages would also be used as training areas for the international athletes.

He said the ultra modern stadium under construction in Ndola would be the venue for all football matches while other games like athletics, basketball, rugby and handball would be held at the Independence Stadium and the National Olympics Complex, off Kabwe road.

He explained that the ultra modern stadium in Ndola would have an estimated sitting capacity of 45, 000.

During today’s tour of the university campus, the technical committee visited some student hostels such as the International Hostel commonly known as ‘the ruins’ and October hostels.

After visiting the hostels, the Permanent Secretary said the University
and other institutions were going to benefit from government plan to turn them in to sports villages.

He said rehabilitations work and construction works would be carried out at all institutions identified as sports villages.

The Permanent Secretary was accompanied by other senior officials who included his Director for Child Affairs John Zulu, ,National Sports Development Council of Zambia (NSDZ) Acting General Secretary Benson Kapaya and National Olympics Committee of Zambia ( NOCZ) Treasurer Kephas Sanga.

Dean of Students Hector Chibobola and his team were also part of the entourage.

Chibobola commended overnment for the visit saying the gesture was a guarantee of
improved standards at the university.

President Mwanawasa has with immediate effect appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police Peter Chingaipe as Acting Commissioner of the Drug Enforcement Commssion (DEC).

Mr. Chingaipe’s appointment follows the suspension of incumbent DEC commissioner Ryan Chitoba, who was arrested by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday on charges of theft of public funds.

Dr. Mwanawasa urged Mr. Chingaipe to polish up the commission, which, he said, has been in a state of confusion over the period since the issues which led to the suspension of Mr. Chitoba.

Meanwhile, President Levy Mwanawasa has said provision of good education to children saves them from poverty and equips them for national tasks.

Dr Mwanawasa said this when he officiated at a live play performance dubbed the home coming by Nkhwazi primary school pupils in Lusaka tonight.

The President, whose daughter Ntembe is a pupil at the school, said acting and other extra curricula activities are important in a school programme as they provides a platform for children to enjoy themselves.

He added that happiness is good for the learning environment.

Dr. Mwanawasa said Nkhwazi primary school is a good example of the public-private sector partnership because it relieves government of the duty to support every child with education as the children whose parents can afford to pay are enabled access to education.

He commended Nkhwazi school management for the various extra curricula activities it has initiated for the children.

And speaking at the same occasion Education Minister Professor Geofrey Lungwagwa said the performance by the pupils is an indication of the changing landscape of Zambia’s education system.

Prof Lungwangwa reiterated that the collaboration between the private sector and government in the education sector has recorded positive results.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested Commissioner for the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Mr. Ryan Chitoba for one count of theft of public funds totaling over K344.8 million.

Mr. Chitoba, 53, of house no. 6857, Olympia Extension in Lusaka, has been jointly charged with Commissioner for Administration and Training Mr. John Jacob Koyi and Assistant Commissioner for Administration and Training Mr. Charles Ndulumina.

ACC public relations officer Timothy Moono comfirmed the development in a statement made available to ZANIS today.

Mr. Koyi 53, of Plot 483/40A, Linda Road in Makeni, and Mr. Ndulumina, 37, of plot 220, Chainama, Lusaka were earlier arrested by the ACC for the same offence.

It is alleged that between 17th May 2006 and 30th April 2007 in Lusaka, Chitoba, Koyi, and Ndulumina, stole a total of K344, 878,420 cash by way of bank withdrawals from a Drug Enforcement Commission Asset Forfeiture Account held at Barclays Bank, Mutaba Branch.

Mr. Moono said the transactions were done without the required authority and knowledge of the Government of the Republic of Zambia.

He said the money came into their possession by virtue of their employment.

Mr. Chitoba has been released on a K50 million in his own recognizance and will appear in court on 7TH December 2007.

Kasama District Commissioner Lieutenant Colonel Steven Chanda has ordered some public workers who illegally got allowances for monitoring the Chisanga Clinic project to immediately pay back the money or risk being prosecuted for theft.

Lt. Col. Chanda issued the order in Kasama during a District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) meeting after he learnt that some members of the Planning Sub-committee had allegedly received allowances while monitoring progress on the construction of Chisanga Clinic.

He noted that it was wrong for the civil servants, who receive salaries, to demand for allowances from funds meant for a community project.

The DC also expressed sadness that the public officers decided to deprive vulnerable people of Chisanga Village money meant to construct a Clinic and a road by claiming for unnecessary allowances.

Lt. Col. Chanda, who withheld names of the affected officers, however urged them to quickly return the money before the matter is reported to the police for action.

The departments that form the Planning Sub-Committee under the DDCC include Health, Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company, and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

Others are Kasama Municipal Council, Young Women Christian Association (YWCA), Water Affairs, District HIV/AIDS Taskforce, and Buildings respectively

Meanwhile, some members of DDCC have called for the immediate arrest of the officers implicated in the financial scandal in order to save as a deterrent to others with intentions to abuse public resources.

They said it would be unfair to allow the culprits to escape prosecution by only refunding the money they got illegally when they knew that their action was tantamount to theft.

The members have since urged the District Commissioner to urgently report the affected officers to the police for investigations and if found with a case to answer they be prosecuted.

The Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL) has embarked on an ambititious programme to lay an optic fibre cable network with neighbouring countries.

This is in a bid to enhance communication in the region and the rest of the world.

Copperbelt Province Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima disclosed this in Lubumbashi today.

Mr. Mbulakulima has also called on the Congolese government to consider joining the inter connectivity offered by ZAMTEL.

And the Copperbelt Minister has since appealed to the Congolese government to link ZAMTEL to VODACOM telecommunication network in that country.

This initiative he said will provide affordable and cheaper telecommunication for the Zambian public.

The Copperbelt Provincial Minister is leading a high profile delegation to the 7 th session of the Zambia/ Congo Regional Joint Permanent Commission J.P.C under way in the mineral rich country.

Visiting Norwegian Auditor General, Jorgen Kosmo has called for the total independence of the office of the Auditor General in Zambia.

Mr Kosmo says the Auditor General’s office should be independent and free from any political or economic interference in order to carry out public account audits effectively.

He was speaking when his delegation paid a courtesy call on the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) in Lusaka today;

Mr Kosmo further said that the role of parliamentarians is key in ensuring that the Auditor General’s is free from interference.

He also said the Auditor General’s office in Zambia which is one of the most developed in the sub-Saharan region should be given enough budgetary support by government.

Mr Kosmo however stated that although government should sufficiently support the Auditor General’s office, it should be allowed to operate independently in order to come up with transparent Public Accounts reports.

He said investment in the Auditor General’s office is cardinal for the creation of good governance, accountability and eradication of corruption in the public service.

Mr Kosmo however expressed happiness with capacity building and infrastructure development at the office of the auditor general office.

Mr Kosmo said that the development is a testimony that the financial and material assistance it receives from Norway and other cooperating partners is being utilised for the intended purposes.

Speaking earlier, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson, Charles Milupi commended Norway for assisting the Auditor General’s office to restructure and better the execution of its set mandate.

Mr Milupi, who is an independent Member of Parliament for Luena Constituency, noted that the support enabled the Auditor General’s office to train its staff adding that public accounts reports produced have been factual and fearless.

He also disclosed that his committee has submitted draft proposals to the National Constitution Conference (NCC) to seek enhancement of the independence of the Auditor General’s office.