Permanent secretary – PS at the ministry of Transport and Communications Misheck Lungu has disclosed that about 70% of works have been made towards the completion of the relaunch of Zambian National Airline.
Responding to a statement released by the Center for Trade Policy and Development – CTPD on November 20, 2019, indicating that the relaunch of the Zambian Airways will add to debt unsustainability, Lungu explained that the project is not relying on the national treasury as its shareholder is the Industry Development Corporation – IDC in partnership with Ethiopian airline.
CTPD had indicated that through an assessment of the proposed business model for Zambia Airways and an analysis of the financing options for the airline, it has been established that Zambia Airways will add to the unsustainability of Zambia’s public debt.
But Lungu has argued in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that it is only rational thinking that the project cannot be canceled at the level it’s at, due to a certain group of people that feel it will hurt the economy and do not have the full information.
He said the airline is not about the bottom line profit as it will contribute to many other economic areas adding that currently, it is at stage three of its process with only two stages left before completion and taking to the skies hence cannot turn backwards.
“We understand the fear relating to the economy but people that take risks are the ones that make business. Just because the economy is not doing so well does not mean government has to change its plans because if government becomes averse to risks, then growth won’t be there and we don’t work like that. What has been started has to be finished,” he said.
He added that a group of over 20 cabin crew members have already been sent to Ethiopia for training and that this progress cannot be reversed due some research which he said could have earlier been tabled to the ministry. Lungu has since called on academicians to instead help in how further the IDC and Ethiopian Airlines mitigating risks but not abandon the project which has already moved two thirds ahead.
