Connect with:
Thursday / June 12.
logo
mobile-logo
HomeStandard Blog Whole Post (Page 201)
Markets

The Zambia Association  Manufactures – ZAM has called that the Energy Regulations Board – ERB release a cost of service study around the proposed revision of electricity tariffs to know the actual cost of generating hydro power and how much it will cost Zambian consumers and manufactures to utilize it.

ZAM representative Chipego Zulu has stated that there is need to provide evidence and statistics if discussions around power supply and pricing are to be transparent and ensure accountability, adding that there is further need to ensure alternative and off grid sources of energy are being promoted to reduce the pressure on the main national grid.

The power utility company ZESCO had in February this year applied to ERB for the revision of electricity tariffs which did not go through but last week, the board announced to the public in a statement that it will hold discussions regarding the proposed increment of about 113%. The decision is however yet to be communicated as mixed feelings have risen from the discussion of the increment.

Speaking at a joint media briefing with the Consumer Unity for Trust Society – CUTS, Chipego reiterated that a steady supply of power is always necessary for the growth of the economy and manufacturing sector in particular as it contributes to productivity hence the extended load shedding hours create challenges in the sector as it leads to an increase in the cost of production for local manufactures.

She said an increase in electricity tariffs has to be accompanied by the necessary evidence as the proposed average of over 100 % increment affects the sector’s cost of energy, adding that the increasing tariffs will not necessarily solve the problem of power deficit hence the need to come up with a sustainable approach to addressing the national issue of power deficit.

At the same event CUTS Center Coordinator Chenai Mukumba explained that an increment in electricity will badly affect both consumers and manufactures as it will indirectly increase the cost of doing business and on goods and services.

She added that apart from affecting players in the sector, many local Zambian households will also be affected as the cost of living will go high making it difficult for the fight towards reducing poverty levels in the country hence to reduce the tariffs downwards.

“Whatever affects the manufacturing sector, automatically affects consumers. ZESCO’s failure to adhere to the schedule is also affecting consumers because they are failing to plan for their daily services hence negatively impacting the growth of the sector,” She said.

ZAM and CUTS have also parnered to deliver Zambia’s second Annual Consumer Gold Star Awards schedued to take place on 15th of November 2019. The awards are in line with the proudly Zambian Compaign which encourages consumers to think local in their purchasing decisions and further encourages manufacturers to aim at producing high quality products and services.

0 Comments
0 likes

The Zambia Association  Manufactures – ZAM has

Highlights

The Higher Education Loans and Scholarship Board – HELSB has supported over 45, 000 beneficiaries through the student loan scheme at the University of Zambia – UNZA, Copperbelt University – CBU and Kapasa Makasa University from 2004 to date.

The board has also from January to September 2019 recovered K40, 467,492, 24 from individuals that benefited from student loans from Public Universities.

Speaking at a media breakfast meeting in Lusaka on 25th, October 2019 attended by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Board Chief Executive Officer Ireen Chirwa further disclosed that 24, 000 of these students were no longer on the loan scheme as at December 2018.

She said during the months of September 2018, the board targeted to recover from 19,000 of these beneficiaries and managed to trace 4, 870 to the government payroll system and 11,876 through the National Pension Scheme Authority – NAPSA.

Ireen said the board has since 2004 been providing financial support to public universities but that this year it extended its support to 4 new Public Universities namely, Mukuba with 182 students, Mulungushi – 300 students, Kwame Nkrumah – 250 students and Chalimbana University with 114 students all from first years.

“Currently we have about 426 beneficiaries employed by government and for this year only we have recovered K4467 from our beneficiaries. And for the 2019/2019 academic season we were allocated K557 million by government to be disbursed to students through our services,” She said.

She added that government has for the 2019/2020 academic season allocated the same amount as of last year stating that the allocated amount is less than amount budgeted for by the board which was K817 million but that it will be managed accordingly.

0 Comments
0 likes

The Higher Education Loans and Scholarship Board

Lifestyle

Tourism minister Ronald Chitotela has stated that the situation analysis for the development of the tourism master plan has revealed that Zambia is branded as a high cost tourist destination, partly due to the excessive use of imported materials in the tourism industry for such facilities as accommodation and furnishings.

Chitotela said to deal with the perception of the high cost of tourism in Zambia, government is willing to empower local businesses to invest in furniture making businesses to cushion the high costs of importing furnishings for the tourism sector.

‘‘Let me be quick to mention that as government, we want to invite capable Zambians to work with us in addressing the challenges through building our local capacity. Imagine if today, we can find a local Zambian company and give them an order, those that are specialised with serving the Hotel and Lodge industries to manufacture high quality beds for us, obviously the cost of doing business in the tourism industry will reduce and more jobs will be created locally’’, said Chitotela.

He further stated that his government is not only challenging local businesses, but is also making sure that it provides the needed support. Chitotela said that even the minister of Finance has expressed desire to come up with incentives that can be extended to the tourism sector for the local content contribution for the tourism industry to grow.

‘‘Let me refer to the speech, delivered by President Edgar Lungu during the official opening of the fourth session of the twelfth national assembly, Zambia’s tourism industry has been labelled as high cost due to the heavy use of imported materials even were local materials can be used, resulting in high cost of accommodation, hindering the industry from scoring the highest optimum of business potential of attracting local tourists.

Further, the tourism Minister pointed out that community participation is key towards wildlife conservation saying, when local people are involved they provide defense and security thereby reducing the cost of investing in defense and security because the community themselves provide the defense.

He further emphasized that for Zambia to be branded as a sustainable tourism destination, local participation and local tourism should be number one. The Tourism Minister was speaking when he officiated at a consultative breakfast meeting between the Ministry of Tourism and its stakeholders including the Tourism Council of Zambia, the Zambia Tourism Agency, Ministry of Finance, National Airports Corporation, Civil Aviation Authority and Zambia Police, held in Lusaka on 30 October 2019, attended by the Zambian Business Times.

0 Comments
0 likes

Tourism minister Ronald Chitotela has stated that

Lifestyle

MultiChoice through Zambezi Magic has launched its two brand new shows; TUVWANGE and UBUNTU, on Zambezi Magic Channel 162.

UBUNTU is a much-anticipated dramatic serving that will hit the screens on 4th November 2019 at 21:30. The show promises an experience like no other in an unprecedented battle for the throne, boasting a reverting storyline that boarders around succession, single- dimensional diplomacy and everything in else in-between.

TUVWANGE a word driven from Mambwe tribe, which means (Let’s Talk), is set to premier on 7 November 2019 at 21:30 hours. This new lifestyle and talk show features a group of outspoken female hosts who reflect the modern times and culture as they share views and perspectives accumulated through varied life experiences. The team of inspirational Zambian celebrity women include; Mutale Mwanza, Natasha Van Der Maas and Esther Chungu among others.

MultiChoice Chief Customer Officer Leah Kooma told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that MultiChoice, through Zambezi Magic, continues to make great entertainment such as Tuvwange and Ubuntu accessible to audience across Southern Africa. Kooma added that Zambia’s favorite storyteller has made extensive investments in the development of original programming saying that in 3 years since Zambezi Magic was launched, has over 20 Zambian production houses have worked with the channel, clocking more than 1200 hours with locally produced shows.

‘‘As Africa’s most loved storyteller, we are excited to see the development of the local film industry, it is not just about the great stories we see on T.V, it is also about the lives that are positively impacted in the process. We estimate that more jobs are created each time a new local show is created. These jobs include Cast, Crew, the Extras and all involved in production of these shows,’ she added.

And Zambezi Magic Channel Head Mosibudi Pheeha, said Zambezi Magic will continue to keep it viewers glued to the edge of their seats with more new and exciting programs. ‘‘Our existence as a channel is a testament that we are serving up the right mix of content that the market enjoys. As a platform, we endeavor to find content that resonates with the market which has been a consistent ask from our subscribers in Zambia hence the decision to launch new and exciting shows to add to other popular shows such as Mpali, Zuba Spoiler and many more,’’ Pheeha. The Launch took place in Lasaka on 1st November 2019, attended by Zambian Business Times – ZBT.

0 Comments
0 likes

MultiChoice through Zambezi Magic has launched its

Markets

The Central Statistical Office – CSO which has been rebranded as Zambia Statistics Angency – ZSA has announced that the year on year inflation rate as measured by the all items Consumer Price Index – CPI for the month of October 2019 has increased to 10.7 percent from 10.5 percent recorded in September 2019.

The increase in inflation means that an average prices of goods and services increased by 10.7 percent between October 2018 and October 2019.

Addressing the media that included the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in Lusaka on October 31, 2019, ZSA Intermin Statistician General Mulenga Musepa has desclosed that the increase in the annual inflation was mainly attributed to food items price movement adding that the increase in the food annual rate of inflation was mainly attributed to price increase in products such as Breakfast mealie meal, Roller mealie meal, Maize grain, Rice imported, Meats and Meat products.

Mulenga added that annual food inflation rate for October 2019 was recorded at 13.3 percent compared to 12.4 percent recorded in September 2019 attributing the increase to price movements of food items.

“The annual non-food inflation rate for October 2019 was recorded at 7.8 percent compared to 8.3 percent recorded in September 2019 indicating a decrease and this is attributed to Transport, ” He said

0 Comments
0 likes

The Central Statistical Office - CSO which

Tech

Zambia’s largest independent power producer Maamba Collieries – MCL has demanded that ZESCO should clear outstanding debts owed to the company so it can maintain efficient operations at its 300 MW coal-fired power plant.

MCL has stated that it has not been able to keep up a robust maintenance programme at its thermal power plant – which has been contributing significantly to the energy balance of the country due to a continued shortfall in monthly payments of its power bills by ZESCO, which is the state owned entity that has the mandate to transmit and distribute power throughout Zambia.

Maamba Collieries has however not disclosed the amount of funds owed, but has explained that the payment shortfall has left it with inadequate cash for conduct of operations, loan repayments and maintenance activities.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer Rear Admiral Shankar has stated that the cash flow shortage has resulted in the company being unable to sustain quality proactive maintenance to the 300MW facility, and the recent forced shutdown of one of its two generation units, halving its power supplied to the national grid to 130MW.

“Maamba Collieries makes a significant contribution to the national grid, and provides a vital diversification from the reliance on hydropower that has proved so vulnerable to climate change. We stand ready, willing and able to supply significant base load power to the nation,” he said.

According to the information availed to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT on October 30, 2019 by MCL Public Relations consultant Gillian Langmead, Shankar said the company has insufficient funds to pay for costly spare parts and maintenance as the project dues to the company’s principals equipment that it depends on, which he said is not a desirable situation in these times of energy crisis that the country is facing.

Meanwhile, the company has confirmed that one of its two units was forced to shut down on October 17, 2019 owing to technical fault and requires extensive attention from the equipment supplier.
Shankar further said the power plant requires intensive regular maintenance involving high expenditure for spares, support services from the equipment manufacturers and other maintenance activities adding that since the commencement of power supply in August 2016, there has been a continuous shortfall in monthly payments received from ZESCO against Maamba Collieries’ power bills.

The delayed repairs of the thermal power plant earlier during the day forced ZESCO to announce an extended 15 hour  load shedding schedule across the country.

0 Comments
0 likes

Zambia's largest independent power producer Maamba Collieries

Lifestyle

The Ministry of Local Government has refuted allegations that the continued delay in the payment of salaries for Local Authorities’ employees is largely caused by late and untimely release of the Local Government Equalization Fund – LGEF.

Minister of Local Government Charles Banda has explained that the delayed payment of salaries by Local council Employees should not be attributed to the delayed disbursement of LGEF as it is a failure to raise local revenues.

Speaking on October 23, 2019 to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Banda said the Local Authorities are expected to raise revenues and funds from levies, fees, charges, local taxes, permits among other revenues pursuant to the local authority Act as the LGEF is a supplementary fund.

He said the LGEF Act provides that local authorities shall use 20% of the fund to finance capital expenditure hence the implications that local authorities are not expected to solely depend on the LGEF to finance functions and salaries.

Banda added that government has consistently disbursed funds to all 116 local authorities from January to August 2019 worth K776, 374, 408. “Government has also put in place a mechanism that prioritizes disbursement to the identified 68 vulnerable local authorities that mainly depend on the grant to implement local authorities’ functions,” he said.

The minister has since stated that there is no need for local authorities to go on a go-slow as it disrupts service provision and industrial harmony. He has since directed all principal officers to submit reports to the ministry of local government on all employees participating in the go-slow in their respective local authorities.

Local Authorities seem to have become dependent on central government funding, when you look at the councils in major cities and towns across Zambia, you will find for instance unregistered taxis, town centre and city parking fees being collected by non council youths and a lot of business levies being issued and funds paid unaccounted for leading to massive revenue leakages.

Moreover, the councils have not been able to find solutions to collecting land and property rates due to political interference. The local government function in Zambia suffers from a historical centralization of key economic functions which seem to have led to a dependency on central government.

Some of the key revenue driver base such as council houses were sold off to sitting Tennant’s and councils have not been recapitalized after this huge sell out of their revenue earning asset base. There is need for capital injection into the local authorities to enable their revenue earning potential to be realized.

0 Comments
0 likes

The Ministry of Local Government has refuted

Lifestyle

The Law Association of Zambia- LAZ has attributed the low pass rate of University graduates to the fact that Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education – ZIALE trains students into practicing lawyers unlike universities and colleges that focus mainly on the academic part.

ZIALE is the sole institution responsible for training law students into practicing lawyers has continued to record a low pass rate at bar exams, which has caused concern on Zambias ability to provide adequate manpower for the smooth operation of the civil and criminal justice system across all the ten provinces of Zambia.

LAZ president Eddie Mwitwa in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT stated that “the students themselves lack academic commitment because they have other works to do and most of them have only given school part-time, which is also contributing a to low pass rate”. He further commended women students saying that “women mostly take up the lead in scoring high marks due to their commitment”.

Meanwhile, Kabwe central lawmaker Tutwa Ngulube has since called on ZIALE and LAZ to call for a stakeholder’s meeting and discuss the dismal performance of students to find a lasting solution to the poor results. He added that the ZIALE should reduce on the number of students enrolled in order to have a good student to lecturer ratio and interaction.

Ngulube said that having too many students in one class may compromise service delivery. He was however quick to mention that most students coming out of Universities are allegedly half baked He further noted that some students who graduate from some of the Universities fail to draft even a simple legal letter, when they go on attachment at his law firm, a situation he described as disheartening.

This year ZIALE has recorded another low pass rate of only 5 students out of 355 students who sat the 2019 final exams. Only 5 made the grade to be admitted to the Bar, representing 1.4% pass rate. ZIALE has since been called upon to review its curriculum and improve on transparency. South Africa had similar problems in the past but after some reforms, the situation is now tenable and Zambia can take a lead from there.

However, ZIALE has defended themselves saying that there was nothing wrong with their bar examinations except that students needed to work hard to make the grade. They have stated that their training is for practice as opposed to the academic training.

Calls for reform to enable justice for both the elite and ordinary citizens have grown. The set up of local, magistrate and high courts across the country received a boost with construction and expansion of these facilities across all the ten provinces of Zambia. But access to lawyers and legal aid to enable a fair and equitable civil and criminal justice system remains largely for a few elites with the concentration of lawyers at 87% in Lusaka alone according to a research report by GRMI in 2019.

0 Comments
0 likes

The Law Association of Zambia- LAZ has

Markets

The impact of power rationing or load shedding in now manifesting in different economic areas with the latest being the impact on prices of dry foods. Prices of dry foods on the local market such as dry Fish and Kapenta have been hiked by about 25% from the previous months prices raising inflation concerns. Some traders talked to at City and Soweto markets in Lusaka city have confirmed to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in some spot interviews.

The retailers attributed the increase in the prices of the above named dry food products due to price increases at the source markets and the prices being quoted by local transporter and traders, whom they have claimed are taking advantage of increased demand of dry foods due to load shedding.

Traders have lamented that a 50Kilogramms of dry Kapenta is now being supplied at K2,100 from the previous K1,600, hence they have increased their prices by K20 and K30 to cover for their costs and cater for some profit margins.

“We have increased our prices because fishing from Siavonga was low and is now closed, we are not sure if it’s the annual fishing ban or just the low water levels creating a fish deficit”, said one trader. Others have attributed the hike to the recent upward adjustments in the fuel pump prices which has also lead to an increase in the transportation cost of goods and services.

Some traders stated that the hiking of prices of dry foods on the market is because there has been increased demand in the dry food products due to the increased load shedding hours. People are unable to store food in refrigerators, so this has driven up demand which the traders are cashing in from.

A check done by a ZBT analyst confirmed that the increased hours of load shedding has pushed most consumers to prefer buying dry foods compared to fresh foods  for fear of having fresh foods such as meat and other products which need refrigeration from going to waste as load shedding schedules are now not being adhered to in most parts of the country.

Both the agriculture and energy sectors has experience low production due to the poor rainfall pattern in the 2018/2019 rainy season resulting in low water levels in key hydro power plants that includes the Kariba which generates power for the country, resulting in massive power rationing.

0 Comments
0 likes

The impact of power rationing or load