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By ZamChro Correspondent

Chambeshi Metals, which was closed early this year will resume operations this week and immediately re-employ at least 300 workers, chief executive officer Derek Webbstock has said.

Mr Webbstock said on Tuesday that the copper and cobalt processing plant had received enough raw materials for it to resume partial operations.

He said the plant would start processing cobalt concentrates this week after accumulating sufficient stocks at the plant.

“We have received enough cobalt concentrates from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) so we should resume operations this week,” he said.

Mr Webbstock could not however reveal the quantity of the concentrates but insisted that that the amounts were sufficient to sustain commencement of production.

He said the company would soon start processing copper concentrates as well depending on the availability of supply from mining companies.

Mr Webbstock did not give a time frame on the commencement of processing copper concentrates, saying the company would look at availability of supply of the concentrates.

He said apart from expecting copper concentrates from the DRC, the company would also see how production at Luanshya Mine goes and whether the mine would be willing to enter into a contract to supply concentrates.

“We initially expect about 300 workers to resume working and more will probably be engaged as production increases,” he said.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Commerce minister Felix Mutati has urged Zambian Breweries Plc to seriously embark on cultivation of raw materials such as barley and malt in order to be self reliant.

Commenting on Zambian Breweries’ importation of crystal malt and perle hops from Germany that is used in producing Mosi Gold, Mutati said government would continue creating policies that would enhance economic development.

“Stability in the economy is good for everyone and we shall continue making good policies but we urge Zambian Breweries to seriously consider growing some raw materials locally to become self reliant and also to add value and creation of jobs,” said Mutati.

Mr. Mutati was speaking at the launch of the Mosi Gold premium larger by Zambian Breweries.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Air Namibia, in partnership with Zambezi Airlines has launched a Lusaka-Johannesburg-Windhoek route.

The airlines are expected to start a daily flight this Saturday with Air Namibia flying into Lusaka from Windhoek five times a week and Zambezi Airlines will provide flights during the remaining two days.

This was during the launch ceremony of the service at Lusaka’s Southern Sun Ridgeway on Tuesday night by permanent secretary for Ministry of Communications and Transport, Dominic Sichinga.

Mr Sichinga said the agreement between Air Namibia and Zambezi Airlines might seem simple but demonstrates the growing c-operation between Zambia and Namibia.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Government has developed a micro, small-scale and medium entreprises (MSMEs) development policy that has been endorsed by Cabinet to be launched soon.

Deputy Minister for Energy and Water Development Allan Mbewe said Government is in full support of the business linkages as these will operate as a vehicle through which MSMEs can grow.

He said this during the high level policy workshop on business linkages organised by ILO in Lusaka on tuesday.

The minister said MSMEs could play various facilitative roles within the value chains of large enterprises, suppliers or distributors of finished commodities.

Mr Mbewe said MSMEs can also provide other services such as provision of transport, cleaning, security, laundry, canteen services in addition to other services considered ‘non-core’ by large organisations.

“One of the main objectives of the policy is to facilitate access to market opportunities for MSMEs,” he said.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

A local company has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract to develop a business park on part of the 135 hectares University of Zambia (UNZA) land.

UNZA, through a private public partnership, wants to develop a six storey three star hotel, a stadium with gymnasium, shopping complex and hostels in Lusaka.

The project is expected to be done in three phases with thwe first phase involving the erection of a business park, student hostels, hotel, sports complex and staff houses.

UNZA vice chancellor, Professor, Stephen Simukanga, however, could not name the selected company until negotiations are finalised by the end of this year.

Prof. Simukanga said in Lusaka last week that negotiations have reached an advanced stage with the preferred bidder.

He said the project is expected to start within six months after signing the agreement.

“We have identified a local firm but if it wants, it can become a consortium and invite other firms to assist in financing the project, the project requires billions of money,” he said.

Prof. Simukanga said the university will soon advertise for the second phase of the project which involves expression of interest from both local and foreign firms.

The project also involves construction of a large auditorium with a 2,000-sitting-capacity catering for various events.

He also said a school to be situated near Kalingalinga Township and a shopping mall will built during the second phase of the project under the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement.

Prof. Simukanga said the BOT arrangement will entail that the selected firm developing infrastructure at a profit for a 20-year-period, after which the properties will belong to the university.

The bidder is also expected to give a certain percentage of profits to UNZA.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

National Savings and Credit Bank (NATSAVE) has completed its project with Rubikon to provide improved retail banking solutions to its customers.

According to a press release from Neptune Software Plc, the project was completed on time and within the budget.

“Rubikon provides National Savings and Credit Bank with a web-based, online and real time access, integrated workflow…multi-channel delivery architecture and integrated banking intelligence. Implementation of the Rubikon core retail and treasury modules, including the data migration from the legacy system, was all achieved in five months and within budget,” read the statement.

“This development moves the bank into the cutting edge of banking technology and will enable it compete more favourably with the private banks on the Zambian market as they will be able to provide services of equal standards. Rubikon will increase the bank’s capacity to serve more customers better than ever before. This means that the bank will be able to develop innovative and affordable products to cater for our urban and rural customers.”

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, Richard Taima has bemoaned the low number of individual-owned businesses in Zambia.

The deputy minister who was speaking during the private sector development reform programme consultative meeting held at Wildlife Hall in Chipata on Wednesday last week, said Zambians should take up the challenge of establishing individual owned businesses.

He said the Government would always be in the forefront to facilitate the growth and the partnership of the private sector.

Zambia was blessed with abundant natural resources that needed to be exploited and it was up to individuals to exploit these natural resources by venturing into business.

He said the setting up of individual-owned companies could contribute to the growth of the national economy.

Chipata residents should take advantage of their geographical position to foster trade between Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

The district had vibrant business opportunities as it shared a common border with Malawi while Katete shares the border with Mozambique. 

Mr Taima advised the people in Eastern Province to take advantage of the Citizen’s Economic Empowerment Commission to apply for funding if their businesses were to improve and grow. 

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By ZamChro Correspondent

Commerce ministry Permanent Secretary Buleti Nsemukila has suggested that institutions like the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) should find ways of earning commissions from transactions arising from the privatisation of government entities.

Speaking last Friday after a familiarisation tour of the ZDA offices in Lusaka, Dr Nsemukila said institutions under the ministry of commerce such as the Bureau of Standards, Competition Commission, Weights and Measurements Department, among others, should look forward and become viable and stop entirely depending on government funding.

“Let me put it this way, the ZDA is an entity of government that handles the privatisation of companies and currently, ZDA is handling the process of selling a part of Zamtel shares and if financial advisors (RP Capital Partners) are getting something out of the transaction why can’t ZDA also get something since ZDA will also be performing a role in that transaction?” Dr Nsemukila said.

 “So ZDA should find ways of becoming viable and sustaining the agency and reduce the dependency on government funding; this way, maybe a certain percentage from the transaction should go towards the operations of ZDA.”

He advised the ZDA management to think through these issues and operate in a business-oriented manner by getting something from the transactions involving the remaining government companies.

“Increasing licence fees will not solve the issue of inadequate funding because it will add to the cost of doing business and under the private sector development programme, some licences will be removed from the over 500 licences required to below 200, so ZDA should think through these issues and reduce dependency on government funding,” he said.

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By ZamChro Correspondent

The Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) programme development planning and coordination manager, Ernest Muwamba, has revealed that his organization was in the final stages of the discussion with Investrust Bank for a trade financing facility to help processing of various trade financing transactions for small to medium enterprises (SMEs)

Mr Muwamba said currently, Access Bank Zambia was the only commercial bank that was participating in the empowerment programme in the area of trade finance. 

He said trade finance was in various forms of financial support and financial transactions used in trade particularly in international trade. 

“Trade finance has a variety of instruments like order financing, invoice discounting, bonds and guarantees, and provides for prudent financial support to the business world including exporters and importers,” he said. 

Mr Muwamba said CEEC, in partnership with other financial institutions, was making efforts to develop small businesses and efforts were being made to encourage other banks to come on board to offer trade finance to enhance the growth of the SME sector. 

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By ZamChro Correspondent

The proposed adoption of a single currency to be used for trading in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) by 2016 will reduce the cost of doing business in the region, Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) executive director Alexander Chileshe said last week.

Mr Chileshe said the benefits and opportunities were immense if the single currency initiative worked as envisaged saying SADC would significantly reduce the cost of doing business.

Mr Chileshe said there would be no difficulties with exchange gains and losses.

He said those doing business with SADC would also benefit from reduced transaction costs saying costs of production might be harmonised and might lead to a reduction in brain drain that the countries were currently experiencing.

This means that skills would be retained in the economies of the member countries.

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