By ROGERS KALERO
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga has challenged the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to up-grade the Kasumbalesa Border Post and possibly develop it into a One-stop Border Post (OSBP) because it is a strategic border post which the country should use to maximise revenue collection.
And Mr Mulenga said the challenges of congestion at Kasumbalesa border Post was not being caused by the Zambian government, but was being caused across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and that the authorities in the two countries were holding bilateral talks to resolve the challenges.
Mr Mulenga was speaking yesterday when the Zambia Intellectual Property Border Crossing Company (ZIPBCC) handed over the border facility to ZRA which it had been managing for 12 years under concession.
Mr Mulenga said, now that the ZRA has taken over the running of the border facility on behalf of the government, it should upgrade it and possibly develop it into a OSBP because it was a strategic facility.
He said the ZRA has a challenge to maintain the border facility and should ensure that it maintains the existing infrastructure while constructing new ones to cater for the increasing business between the two countries.
“As we thank the concessionaire for looking after this facility well and ensuring smooth business, I must challenge the ZRA that as you take over this facility, you must ensure that you upgrade it and possibly develop it into a OSBP. This is a strategic border post,” he said.
“As a government, we will support ZRA to continue improving the operations of the border. Like I said, this border is strategic and so we should ensure that people from both the DRC and Zambia benefit from various business activities,’’ Mr Mulenga said.
Mr Mulenga also challenged Zambians to be aggressive and innovative in order to benefit from the business at the border instead of folding their arms and blaming foreigners and government.
He said government will strive to come up with policies that will support local businesses and ensure that local people benefit from various business as opposed to enriching foreigners.
“President Hakainde Hichilema has always emphasised on positive discrimination which means that local people or Zambians must be given priority in terms of business opportunities. This is why am urging you to be aggressive and innovative in terms seizing business opportunities,’’ he said.
Mr Mulenga also assured the employees who worked under the concessionaire that no one will lose their jobs and should not listen to politicians who want to gain political mileage by peddling lies that those who worked under the concessionaire will lose their jobs.
He said those who worked under the concessionaire will not lose their jobs, but will be fused within the employees of ZRA.
“I now that there is apprehension and some of you who worked under the concessionaire are scared that they will lose their jobs, but let me assure you that you will not be fired and please don’t listen to lies from some politicians,’’ he said.
And Mr Mulenga said the challenges of congestion at Kasumbalesa border Post was not being caused by the Zambian government, but was being caused across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and that the authorities in the two countries were holding bilateral talks to resolve the challenges.
And speaking earlier, Zambia Border Crossing Company Chairperson Alfred Lungu said the concession to run the border facility was signed on July 1st, 2009 and had paid K500 million to government in concession and supported the council in through rates.
