Major mining companies on the Copperbelt have shunned this year’s on-going Zambia International Trade Fair in Ndola.

A check by ZANIS at the trade fair grounds confirmed the mining companies’ absence at the fair and their stand at which they collectively exhibit under the umbrella of the Zambia Chamber of Mines has since been taken by the Communications Authority of Zambia.

And Zambia International Traded Fair General Manager, Johnson Mwenya, also confirmed the absence of the mining sector, the country’s economic backbone.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Ndola today, Mr Mwenya said the mining companies are not exhibiting at this year’s trade fair because their council had only approved their participation at the Kitwe Agricultural and mining show where they participated.

Mr Mwenya, however, said the mining companies have not indicated whether they have permanently withdrawn their participation at the ZITF or they will participate in the future coming fairs.

He, however, said that even if they had not participated, they have given the ZITF support which shows that they still appreciate the trade fair.

He hoped that the mining sector would participate in the future trade fairs.

This is the first time the major mining companies have shunned the trade fair and some members of the public talked to by ZANIS attributed the mining companies’ absence at the trade fair to the global economic crunch that had badly hit their sector.

This year’s international trade fair begun yesterday and will run until Tuesday next week under the theme ‘Investing in Infrastructure for Competitiveness’.

ZANIS

The Zambia Agency for Persons with Disability (ZAPD) is still scouting for about K15 billion to start revamping its farms in various parts of the country.

The main farms that need revamping are Kangonda and Kambowa on the Copperbelt, Mitutukuko in North Western , Mimofa in Lusaka and Linda in Southern Province .

Others are Kazembe and Mushota in Luapula, Chitonkene in North Western Province Masaiti and Sisenge on the Copperbelt.

ZAPD Acting Director General Charles Mwape told ZANIS in an interview that there was need for other stakeholders to come on board and assist the agency in raising the required money.

Dr. Mwape said ZAPD has for long time now been appealing to other stakeholders but none has come on board to assist the agency .

He said government and ZAPD alone cannot manage to raise the required money hence the need for partnership with other stakeholders.

The ZAPD Acting Director said once ZAPD is assisted with the required money the agency would ensure that the money was used for the intended purpose.

Dr. Mwape observed that once the farms are revamped more employment would be created among people that live near the farms.

He said it was for this reason that ZAPD wants the farms to be revamped so that they can empower the unemployment.

ZANIS

The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) says that it will not extend this year’s marketing period, despite starting the exercise late in buying maize from farmers.

FRA Public Relations Manager, Mwamba Siame said the agency will not extend the period because the exercise started at the right time.

Mrs. Siame said that even farming activities have shown that June was too early to start buying maize from farmers as many of them were still harvesting and packaging their maize.

“Farmers activities have shown that June is too early and as for today the agency has not recorded reports of any farmers being turned away” she said.

Mrs. Siame said this to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday in response to a press query.

Mrs. Siame also said the agency has not purchased any maize from farmers since the agriculture marketing season started last on June 1, 2009, because maize from most parts of the country still has high moisture content due to late rains.

Mrs. Siame has meanwhile assured farmers in remote rural areas that the Food Reserve Agency will buy all their maize during this marketing season.

She said the agency will provide market accessibility to the disadvantaged farmers who are very far from the main towns.

Government this year allocated K100 billion for the purchase of about 150,000 metric tones of white maize from small scale farmers.

ZANIS

THE Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) has denied accusations that its members are buying maize at K35,000 per 50 kg bag saying it did not discuss the purchase of maize with its members.

MAZ president Caleb Mulenga said in a statement yesterday that each miller was responsible for procuring their maize in accordance with their ability to pay for raw material in line with their cost structures.

Mr Mulenga said that the K65,000 per kg bag of maize is the price at which the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) was willing to pay for the maize.

FRA was just one of the buyers on the market and others included grain traders, individuals and millers leaving farmers and sellers of maize at liberty to sell to any buyer who offered a better price.

He said last year, millers offered a much higher price than that of the FRA but there was no talk of millers creating a cartel to buy maize at a higher price than the FRA.

Mr Mulenga said while millers were accused of fixing the maize price, there was no corresponding accusation of farmers fixing the price at K65,000.

“We do not believe that any MAZ member is buying maize at the alleged price of K35,000,” he said.

On Tuesday the Zambia Competition Commission (ZCC) said that it was investigating millers for creating a cartel to enable them buy maize at as low as K35,000.

Meanwhile, FRA spokesperson, Mwamba Siame said yesterday that the agency did not buy any maize in June despite the launch of the crop marketing season at the start of the month.

Mrs Siame said in Lusaka that the FRA bought produce for lengthy storage periods for use in case of shortages, price stabilisation and relief purposes and as such it needed to be bought in the right conditions.

She said the FRA would preferably buy grade A crop with 12.5 per cent, which was the internationally recommended standard for the tropical regions to which Zambia belonged.

Chisamba Member of parliament Moses Muteteka in Lusaka yesterday said the FRA should get on the ground and explain what their problem was.

He said as long as the FRA did not register its presence on the ground, millers and other traders would continue to exploit small-scale farmers and that would have a devastating impact on maize production in the coming crop season.

[Times of Zambia]

Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSCO) has reiterated that the installation of the pre-paid meters in some parts of Lusaka has had cost benefit for both the company and the residents.

LWSCO Managing Director George Ndongwe said the company has cut down costs in terms of paper work and man power in the areas were they carried out the pilot project.

Mr. Ndongwe told ZANIS in an interview the company no longer prints and delivers bills to the customers, which used to be a costly undertaking.

He added that the company has further cut down costs on meters readers, as there is no need for the company to employ more meter readers.

“The company no longer faces the problem of unsettled bills in these areas because their clients are now prompted to get water units least they run out of water at their premises,” he explained.

Mr. Ndongwe who expressed happiness over the response the company has received from the clients in the areas were they have installed the prepaid meters said his company will soon extend the exercise to some other parts of the province.

LWSCO two years ago embarked on a pilot project of installing prepaid water meters in Libala and some parts of Kabwata..

And residents in Libala have expressed happiness over the company’s installation of prepaid water meters in their area.

Some residents talked to by ZANIS over the weekend said that the use of the prepaid meters was cost saving as they now know how to manage the consumption of water minus any wastage.

One of the residents, Katherine Mwale said people in her area are now cautious with the way they use their water unlike the time when there were no prepaid meters.

“People my area are now careful with the way the use their water because now we know that if we waste water its us who will spend more money on getting water units unlike the time when there were no prepaid meters,” Mr. Mwale explained

She added that most residents are now adhering to the water utility company advice over the need to fix all leaking taps, having short showers and using buckets to water the gardens unlike the use of hose pipes .

And another resident said that the pilot project by the water utility company has been a success and thus the need by the company to extend this exercise to other areas in the province.

David Kapekwe said he now budgets for his water units monthly and that his family’s consumption does not exceed the budget.

“I now budget for my water monthly and fortunate enough my family’s consumption does not exceed my budget,” he said.

He further said that LWSC will be running effectively if it installs these meters in many places because some people are reluctant to pay their water bills hence crippling the company financially.

ZANIS

Government says it is taking deliberate policy decisions to deal with challenges the country’s railway industry is currently facing.

Communications and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa said government is working towards ensuring adequate investment, fair competition and reduced fuel levies to help promote growth in the railway sector.

Speaking when he officially opened the Southern African Railways Association (SARA) Corridor Multilateral workshop in Lusaka today, Prof Lungwangwa said government is aware of the challenges the railway sector is facing both in the country and the region.

The minister said there is also need to put in place an institutional framework that will facilitate stakeholder participation in order to create an enabling environment which will further promote growth in the railway transport industry.

“The need to put in place an institutional framework that facilitates stakeholder participation in the railway industry becomes paramount. This framework should create an enabling environment which in essence promotes the growth of the railway industry.” He said.

Prof Lungwangwa said the railway industry must be promoted at both national and regional level because of its positive characteristics such as bulk movement of goods at cheaper tariffs, fuel efficiency and environmentally friendly operations.

He urged railway operators in the region to collectively engage in performance improving strategies in view of their available resources to reduce transportation costs and enhance competition on regional products.

And Prof Lungwangwa has urged SARA to engage non member railway operators in the SADC region to reconsider their position.

He said the position taken by such operators not to be members of the SARA is detrimental to the region as it does not promote railway interests in SADC member states.

He stressed that it is only through the active participation of all regional railway that the provisions of the protocol will be fulfilled.

Prof Lungwangwa noted that SARA is a platform for participation and integration of railway operators as it is in line with the railway management groups as enshrined in Article 7.8 of the SADC protocol on transport, communications and meteorology.

“Railway Route Management Groups are enshrined in Article 7.8 of the SADC Protocol on transport, communications and meteorology and as such it is a SADC expectation that all railways in the region participate in these route management groups. Your organization SARA is the right platform for such participation.” said the Minister.

And speaking at the earlier Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Even said RSZ plays a major anchor role for most of the corridors because of Zambia’s central geographical position in the region.

Mr. Even said RSZ will continue to play a coordinative role in the movement of both local and international traffic along the corridors it connects.

He commended government for creating a conducive business environment atmosphere and its continued support to the company.

“RSZ is grateful to the government of the republic of Zambia for creating a conducive business atmosphere and is looking forward to continued support.” said Mr. Even.

The RSZ CEO also expressed confidence that its partnership and coordination with government and other stakeholders will help benefit and enhance social economic development in the SADC region.

SARA was formed in April 1996 following recognition by Southern African Development Community (SADC) railway administrations of the need to establish a strong railways lobby group to pursue advocacy for fair surface transport competition.

ZANIS