Today's Business Stories

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 12:53:53 +0000

Cash snag shoots down FDD convention

By AARON CHIYANZO

THE Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) postponed the convention which was supposed to be held last month because it could not raise enough money to organize the event, FDD secretary general Nathan Mulonga has said.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, Mr Mulonga disclosed that the FDD decided to postpone the convention because it did not have enough money to hold the event.

He said that the money the party managed to raise could not match the figure they had budgeted for the convention.

Mr Mulonga however said that the party had written to well-wishers and that they were expecting to raise more funds for the convention soon.

“We put off the convention to a later time but the date hasn’t been decided yet. We are looking for money, the money will be coming soon. We have already written to our well-wishers. The money that we raised is not equivalent to what we needed for the event,” he said.

Mr Mulonga assured FDD members and stakeholders that the party was already working on modalities to raise enough funds to hold the convention.

And Mr Mulonga said that FDD would amend the party constitution at the convention because it had a lot of lacunas.

He dispelled rumours circulating in the media that the party constitution had already been amended, adding that it would only be amended at the convention.

Mr Mulonga wondered why some suspended FDD members were condemning the plan to amend the party constitution when it had lacunas.

He warned suspended party members to desist from issuing false information in the media about the party and its president Edith Nawakwi.

Meanwhile, FDD spokesperson Antonio Mwanza recently said that FDD had finally taken some steps that may dilute the brewing tension over constitutional amendments by announcing dates for the convention.

Mr Mwanza said that the party would hold its convention on February 24 to 26 and that the party constitution would be amended at the same forum.

The FDD has been facing internal conflicts resulting in some officials being suspended over their call for Ms Nawakwi to step down.

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Hivos fights to enhance working conditions for women

By SANDRA MACHIMA

BUSINESSES have a key role to play in ensuring decent working conditions for women through corporate social responsibility programmes, Hivos project manager Tambudzai Madzimure has said.

Ms Madzimure said social responsibility was generally under-emphasized, and therefore civil society organizations and certification bodies were important actors to push for social sustainability within the institutions.

She said millions of women in low and middle-income countries drive the global value chains, adding that it was vital that civil society organizations and trade unions lobbied the governments to improve their working conditions.

Hivos has however launched a global campaign on women’s rights aimed at improving labour rights of women working in horticulture value chains.

Hivos has partnered with other civil society organisations from Southern and Eastern Africa to make the horticulture sector a key income and export generator for most countries in East and Southern Africa.

Ms Madzimure noted that while the sector had seen tremendous growth in investments, the working conditions still needed to be addressed.

She said workers, especially women, also faced exploitation and were vulnerable to sexual harassment.

“Although trade generally brings economic gains, women whom are the majority of the workforce in horticulture farms, 60-70 percent hardly ever benefited. And a 2016 study by Hivos revealed that most workers in the farms in Zambia are not adequately provided with protective clothing, prospects for personal development and social integration.

‘‘And this is a violation of rights of workers and does not comply with provisions of the Zambia Employment and Labour Relations Act,” she said.

The Women@Work Campaign will be implemented in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi in the Southern African region, and Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Rwanda in East Africa.

These countries will work with local organisations, businesses, governments, certification bodies, trade unions, media and citizens to improve conditions for women at work places in horticulture.

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Donor aid slashed as Zambia ‘develops’

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

ZAMBIA’S development aid has reduced to less than 4 percent from 30 percent as a result of being classified as a lower middle income country from a least developed country, says Professor Oliver Saasa.

And Prof Saasa hoped that Zambian exports to the American markets through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) would not be affected with decisions being undertaken by the Donald Trump administration in Washington.

Prof Saasa, a development consultant and international economist, emphasised in an interview that the drop in development aid did not mean that Zambia mismanaged the funds, but that it has graduated.

“If we look at aid flows to Zambia, it has dropped quite significantly; about 15 years ago we were talking about more than 30 percent of our development finance of our budget from donors and now it is less than 4 percent.

“But the reason is not that we have misbehaved or the donors do not want to give us. It is mainly because Zambia has been reclassified as a lower middle income country. We are no longer a least developed country, we are in a category that does not get free money anymore,” he said.

Prof Saasa however said Zambia was still receiving aid in some sectors of the economy such as the road infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Prof Saasa said he hoped that Zambian exports to the US markets would not be affected owing to new policies being implemented by the new administration in the US.

He said there were clear rules for origin for AGOA such as ensuing that exports must be made in Africa for them to penetrate that market.

“We might be affected by access to the American market through AGOA, this allows preferential access to the American markets mainly in the imperial industry.

“So far there has been not much spoken about Africa and one hopes that nothing will ban or reduce significantly African exports to the American markets. So we are still waiting,” he said.

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Sand as mineral can help develop local areas – expert

BY MAILESI BANDA

THERE is need for small scale miners to embrace technology in the improvement of dimension stones such as sand to make them attractive to the construction industry and contribute to economic development, African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) and European Union, (EU) Development Minerals project coordinator Lyapa Manza has said.

Mr. Manza said building stones once cut and polished properly could contribute to the construction industry in the country and open the doors to economic development.

He explained that development minerals were materials such as sand and gravel that were mined, processed manufactured and used domestically especially in the construction, manufacturing and agriculture industry.

The minerals had a high degree of economic linkages and utilization close to the location where the mineral was being mined as development minerals were of high value for domestic development.

He said development minerals had the potential to develop and grow the economy of the area in which they were mined, adding that the use of machinery should be embraced in the processing of the minerals.

Speaking during a media workshop on development minerals, Mr Manza said the minerals, mostly used in the construction industry, had the potential to enhance economic development, adding that sand being another development mineral could bring development if used in the area it was mined in.

“Sand could be utilized locally because moving it over a long distance could be a loss but for the industry to thrive there is need to have development projects within the area it was mined for the miners to benefit from the minerals,’’ he said.

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Zampost, Airports Corp clinch workers’ financing deal

By AARON CHIYANZO

THE Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Zampost Microfinance Limited to enable ZACL employees access loans under a direct salary deduction programme, Zambia Postal Services Post Master General McPherson Chanda has said.

Speaking during the signing ceremony held at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Mr Chanda was elated that the two organizations had come to an agreement that would benefit and empower the employees.

Mr Chanda said that the partnership was only the beginning of greater things to come and that it would enable ZACL employees to access loans under a direct salary deduction arrangement.

He explained that Zampost Microfinance Limited was established in order to cater for the diverse needs of Zampost customers and that the company provided salary-backed loans, group-based loans and individual loans.

“We are elated that the two organizations ZACL and Zampost Microfinance has come to an agreement that will benefit and empower the employees, this partnership is only the beginning of greater things to come,” said Mr Chanda.

And ZACL managing director Robinson Misitala reiterated that the loan agreement would be able to cushion employees when they encountered challenges as the Zampost Microfinance was easily accessible.

Meanwhile, ZACL communications and brand manager Mweembe Sikaulu announced that the corporation would host the 57th Airports Council International Africa Board and Regional Committee Conference and Exhibition this month in Livingstone.

Ms Sikaulu said that the successful hosting of the UNWTO General Assembly 2013 and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings in May last year had placed Zambia on the world map.

She said in a statement that the regional conference and exhibition being hosted in conjunction with the Airports Council International (ACI) would focus on the development and diversity of airport business as a key to ensure the sustainability of the industry.

Ms Sikaulu said that the conference and exhibition would be hosted under the theme “Developing airports business – the way forward for African airports”.

She explained that discussions during the conference would focus on the costs of airport management, sources of revenue and airport charges.

Ms Sikaulu said that the event which would be graced by the Minister of Transport and Communications Brian Mushimba, would include discussions on public-private partnerships and funding the development of airport activities.

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More millers to access cheaper FRA maize

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

MORE than 15 millers will this week be added to the tripartite agreement meant to reduce mealie meal prices nationwide through the allocation of more maize to millers by the Food Reserve Agency, says Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) chairperson Andrew Chintala.

The tripartite agreement aimed at reducing mealie meal prices consists of the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ) and MAZ.

Mr Chintala said in an interview that the three organisations met last Friday to discuss the way forward and among the recommendations was that more millers be brought on board if the intended purpose of the agreement was to yield results countrywide.

“The meeting held last Friday indicated that we have not made the desired results in as far as we anticipated.

“We agreed that we should include more allocation to the millers that are on the programme; the recommendation was that we need to bring in more millers on board if at all we are to make an impact countrywide,” he said.

Mr Chintala said the participants agreed to add more than 15 millers to the programme from the current nine millers who were on board.

“We currently have nine active members, we are trying to make it at least 21 or more than 30 members. We hope to bring in more millers this week and just to have quickly roll out the programme.

“This is the first time we are doing this programme and expect to have few challenges. It is inevitable that any new agreement has challenges but can be worked on as we are all committed,” he said.

He also said the participants agreed to be meeting weekly to review the performance of the contract.

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Chinese marble firm looks for local partners

By MAILESI BANDA

A CHINESE-owned marble tiles manufacturing plant is seeking partnership with local people to attain the production capacity of 600 square kilometers of tiles per month.

LongGan Investment technician, Hong Wu, disclosed that the company which specializes in the production of marble tiles from granite stones mined in the Katuba area, Lusaka, needed to partner with local people to create a variety in the range of tiles.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Nation, he said the company currently manufactured grey tiles due to the stones available in the area they mined, adding that if there were local miners that had a different colored stone they would partner with them.

He said the company could offer the services of cutting and polishing the stones to make them marketable.

“We hope to partner with local people who have a different colour of stones to partner with us so we can cut and polish them for them and penetrate the export market while providing variety,’’ he said.

He said the marble tile production site which commenced production last year was looking for a local market and partnerships in order to penetrate the export market.

He said currently the only challenge the manufacturing plant faced was lack of  water in the area where they are operating.

“There is a challenge of water in the area, even after drilling eight boreholes we were unable to get water and we have spoken to the village head man to help us with good land where we can sink a borehole,’’ he said.

He said some of the rocks mined at the site could not be made into marble and was being sold as crushed stones used in the construction of roads and other infrastructure.