Zambia extends period for investors to bid for oil exploration

By John Chola – 11/08/09

Zambia has extended the period for interested local and international investors to bid for petroleum exploration from this August to November.

A Ministerial Petroleum Committee said that the extension of the bidding process had been necessitated by requests by some international investors interested in petroleum exploration in the country.

The deadline to bid for petroleum exploration had been extended to Friday, November 6, 2009.

Petroleum companies who had already submitted their bids were being allowed to retrieve and refine their documents without incurring any extra costs.

The Ministerial Committee chaired by Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Maxwell Mwale said investors that wanted to submit bids can obtain document from the office of the permanent secretary in his ministry.

Investors can also purchase the data package relating to the bidding process from the Geological Survey Department.
Other details of the bidding process can be accessed by visiting Zambia’s Geological Survey department website.

The results of laboratory analyses from Germany had indicated that there was potential for oil and gas in Zambia’s North Western, Western and Eastern Provinces.

The deadline for bidding process was supposed to expire on 7th August 2009.

Ends.,,,,,


On June 25th 2009 Zambia invited bids from local and international companies for petroleum exploration licensing round for 23 blocks existing in three provinces.

Zambia’s Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development requested bidders to demonstrate a proven ability to raise the necessary funds, assets and machinery.

The bidding companies were also expected to have appropriate equipment, tools and technical expertise to explore, produce, sale and dispose of petroleum in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Zambia demanded that bidding companies purchase a complete data package in English and pay a non-refundable application fee of ten thousand US dollars or Zambian kwacha equivalent per block.

Interested investors had been encouraged to purchase some of the data by email through Zambia’s Geological Survey Department. gsd@zamnet.zm, seismic@coppernet.zm.

Interested investors had initially until 14:30 hours of Friday, 7th August 2009 to purchase and submit their bids to the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development in Zambia.

Ends…///

Zambian President rejects calls for him to resign.

By John Chola - 25/06/09

Zambia's President Rupiah Banda has rejected wide calls by opposition politicians, civil society and other interest groups for him to resign.

Banda says those calling for his resignation are just wasting their time and cheating themselves as he will never bow down to their demands.

Banda says opposition politicians, civil society groups, striking civil servants and others calling for his resignation are unnecessarily inciting the nation.

He has described as untrue pronouncements by some media, politicians, striking civil servants and others that majority Zambians have lost confidence in his leadership.

Banda says he is well informed that majority of Zambia’s over 12 million people believe in his leadership and only want him to deliver by improving their welfare.

Recently many of Zambia’s over 30 opposition leaders have teamed up against Banda asking him to resign and allow new Presidential elections.

Banda has been accused of abrogating the Republican constitution by re-appointing a Minister recently found guilty of breaching the supreme law of the land by a judicial tribunal.

The Zambian President is also accused of being insensitive to the plight of thousands of government workers who receive meager salaries.

Banda administration has refused to award government workers have been demanding improved saralies and other conditions of service.

Ends…///

South Africa's Eskom expected to set up a 400 megawatt power generating plant in Zambia.

By John Chola -23/06/09

South Africa’s energy company Eskom is expected to set up a 400 megawatt electricity generating plant in Zambia.

The 400 megawatt plant is expected to be established at Maamba which hosts Zambia’s Maamba Collieries Limiteds, a coal mining company.

Media reports in Zambia today indicate that Eskom will want to utilize the low grade coal of Maamba Collieries Limited which is ideal for the venture.

A Manager at Zambia’s Maamba Collieries Limited (a mine based in the Southern part of the country) has told a government ran media that Eskom is willing to buy and utilize the low grade coal reported to be lying idle at the mine.

There is currently 60, 000 metric tones of already mined coal begging for a market at Maamba Collieries Limited.

A total of 78.2 million tonnes of coal reserves is estimated available in the Maamba Collieries assigned area.

Over 60.2 million tonnes of coal is proven and 18 million tonnes is probable.
Further exploration and reserve development is in order as the underground potential may well be greater than known today.

There are two open cast mines operating at Maamba in the Kanzize and Izuma basins with an annual capacity to produce between 600,000 and 800,000 metric tonnes of saleable coal, depending on demand and other constraints.

The Zambian government says reserves in the Maamba assigned area can last for at least ninety seven (97) years assuming that the mine is operating at full capacity and producing 800,000 metric tonnes of coal per annum.

There is a Coal Preparation Plant (CPP) with a rated capacity to wash about 700,000 to 800,000 metric tonnes of coal per year.

The existing ropeway has the capacity to transport between 600,000 to 700,000 metric tonnes to Masuku Railway Terminal per annum.

A company called Scrirocca Limited was last April awarded a contract to mine Maamba coal.

Scrirocca Limited has invested US$ 7 million in Maamba.

The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ), through the Zambia Privatisation Agency (ZPA) has put up Maamba Collieries Limited for privatisation through an acquisition of a controlling stake by suitably qualified private sector investors.

The government approved the sale of at least 70% shares by competitive tender.

Government says it is open to considering various innovative arrangements, as may be proposed by the potential investor that would result in control of mine moving to the private sector and result in the recapitalisation of Zambia's major coal producer.

Ends…//

Zambia Police to circumcise all male recruits

By John Chola - 20/06/09

The Zambia Police Service is introducing a mandatory circumcision policy for all male recruits.

A Police training school commanding Officer (Malcom Mulenga) says male circumcision will help prevent HIV and AIDS cases in the Police service.

The decision follows evidence that Zambia Police Service has been losing a lot of qualified manpower as a result of HIV/AIDS.

And Zambia’s Home Affairs Ministry has welcomed plans by the Zambia Police Service to circumcise male recruits.

Police recruits will undergo circumcision at Zambia’s major hospital University Teaching Hospital, district hospitals and other police health centres being built with support from the United States at a cost of ZAR 2.5 million (1.5 billion Kwacha).

Ends….///

100 million girls are involved in child labour, and many are exposed to some of its worst forms - ILO.

By John Chola - 19/06/09

The International Labour Organisations says most recent global estimate indicate that more than 100 million girls are involved in child labour, and many are exposed to some of its worst forms.

Meanwhile the prevailing global financial crisis will push more children, particularly girls, into child labour.

This is according to a new report issued by the International Labour Office (ILO) marking the World Day against Child Labour which fell on June 12.

The ILO report, entitled Give Girls a Chance: Tackling child labour, a key to the future notes that while recent global estimates indicate the number of children involved in child labour has been falling, the financial crisis threatens to erode this progress.

ILO Director-General Juan Somavia says in the report that there has been some real progress in reducing child labour in the recent past.

Somavia says the policies chosen in the present crisis will be a test of national and global commitment to take the child labour fight forward.

Somavia he says bemoaned that in many countries families still give preference to boys when making decisions on education of children.

He says because of the increase in poverty as result of the crisis poor families with a number of children are likely to make choices as to which children stay in school.

Somavia says that in cultures in which a higher value is placed on education of male children, girls risk being taken out of school, and are then likely to enter the workforce at an early age.

Somavia says anticipated cuts in national education budgets and a decline in remittances of migrant workers which help to keep children in school are other factors to push up the numbers in child labour.

169 member states have ratified the ILO Convention No. 182 on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

Fourteen member states are yet to ratify the convention in order to make it a universal ratification.

Somavia says protecting children from child labour calls for integrated responses that include jobs for parents, and social protection measures that help them to keep both girls and boys in school.

The ILO chief says girls around the globe face a number of particular problems that justify special attention.

The problems including much work being undertaken by girls is hidden from public view, which creates particular dangers.

Somavia says girls make up the overwhelming number of children in domestic work in third party households and there are regular reports of the abuse of child domestic workers.

In their own homes, Somavia notes, girls take on household chores to a much greater extent than boys.

He says combined with economic activity outside the household, this imposes a “double burden” that increases the risk of girls dropping out of school.

The ILO chief bemoans that in many societies girls are still in an inferior and vulnerable position and are more likely to lack basic education a situation that seriously restricts their future opportunities.

The ILO report has underscored the importance of investing in the education of girls as an effective way of tackling poverty.

Ends…//

Zambian women falling prey to human and drug trafficking.

By John Chola - 15/06/09

Zambian women are easily giving in to human traffickers who are using them to traffic drugs.

The Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission is warning Zambian women to be wary of human and drug traffickers frequenting the country to recruit unsuspecting victims.

Over ten Zambian women have been arrested and detained in various countries for drug trafficking.

The Drug Enforcement Commission says it has discovered that Zambian women are being trafficked to other countries where they are sold to drug traffickers who use them to carry drugs.

The Drug Enforcement Commission says currently there are two Zambians being held in South Africa after being used in drug trafficking syndicates.

More Zambian women have recently been arrested in Tanzania, Kenya, Pakistan and China.

In China the courts have sentenced a Zambian woman to death by firing squared for drug trafficking.

The Zambian government has since stepped in to try and appeal to the Chinese government to allow the female Zambian serve a sentence at home.

Ends….

Amnesty International says Zimbabwe has continued human rights violations

By John Chola - 18/06/09

Amnesty International says Zimbabwe is suffering 'persistent and serious' human rights violations despite the formation of a unity government four months ago.

Amnesty International's secretary-general Irene Khan said in Harare today that there are still serious violation of human rights in Zimbabwe.

Khan was speaking to reporters in Harare where she is on a special mission.
She says the socio-economic conditions are desperate for the vast majority of Zimbabweans.

Khan says the inclusive government has failed to reform the police, army and security forces or address impunity.

Khan cites the lack of clear commitment of some parts of government as real obstacles that need to be confronted by the top leadership of Zimbabwe.

Ends…//