Maravi

Barclays develops packages for SMEs

http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=25849

Barclays develops packages for SMEs
By Fridah Zinyama
Saturday April 28, 2007 [04:00]

BARCLAYS Bank has come up with several packages aimed at helping the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to develop in the country. During a breakfast get-together organised by the Zambia Chamber of Small and Medium Business Associations (ZCSMBA), Barclays Bank head of SME unit Regina Mulenga said the bank was committed to ensuring the growth of the SME sector in the country.

“One of the packages that we have introduced is the leasing facility meant to help the SMEs access machinery and other equipment,” Mulenga said.

She said the bank understood that SMEs currently lack finances, which could help them to expand their businesses. “We are also providing both secured and unsecured loans to SMEs,” Mulenga said. “We have found other banks have been asking for security before they can lend out finances to SMEs and we would like to change that.”

Mulenga explained that as long as the SME’s account was well maintained, loans could be easily accessed. “Barclays has also observed that the small enterprises have failed to access finances due to their lack of proper presentation, but we have come up with a club that helps the small and big businesses to interact so that they can share ideas,” she said.

Mulenga said the business club was working very well so far and that the small businesses that had joined the club were becoming more organised.

And ZCSMBA executive secretary Maxwell Sichula urged his members to form coalitions to ensure progress in the sector. “The formation of coalitions is important for our members as it helps them have networks of information that will help them progress in business,” said Sichula.





http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=25858

Road accidents cost Zambia 1.5% of GNP
By Nomusa Michelo
Saturday April 28, 2007 [04:00]

HEALTH minister Dr Brian Chituwo said Zambia is paying heavily in terms of human and other costs due to road traffic accidents. During the first United Nations Global road safety week
commemoration under the theme ‘Young Road Users, Road safety is no Accident’, Dr Chituwo said Zambia was losing 1.5 per cent of Gross National Product (GNP) as a result of road traffic accidents.

“It is estimated that every year, road traffic crashes cost US$518 billion globally. In low-income and middle income countries, of which Zambia is one, road traffic crashes cost an estimated US$100 billion, which exceeds the total amount received by these countries in overseas development assistance,” he said. “For Zambia this translates into a huge cost of 1.5 per cent that of the gross national product, a huge cost indeed.”

Dr Chituwo said road traffic accidents killed nearly 1.2 million people worldwide every year and was one of the top five leading causes of death for people aged between 15 and 19 in Zambia.
And Dr Chituwo said there were a number of identifying key factors such as driving while drunk, over-speeding, wearing of helmets and seat belts and road design and infrastructure, which if acted upon could significantly save lives and financial resources.
And Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) acting director Fredrick Mwalusaka said Zambia recorded between 14,000 and 22,000 road traffic accidents in which between 900 and 1,200 people lost their lives annually.

“Given Zambia’s record in road traffic accidents, with an average fatality rate of 65 deaths per 10,000 vehicles, these figures will get worse if concerted effort is not put in place considering Zambia’s increasing motorisation rate due to second hand imports from the Asian economies,” he said.





http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=25857

Japan completes Lusaka schools project
By Kabanda Chulu
Saturday April 28, 2007 [04:00]

THE Japanese government has completed its project for the construction of basic schools in Lusaka at a total cost of K109 billion. The project was implemented in two phases, which resulted in the construction of 18 basic schools around Lusaka, all of which have required furniture and equipment.

During the official handover of the schools to the government yesterday, Japanese Ambassador Masaaki Miyashita said the Zambian government was now in a position to provide high quality basic education to a much larger number of pupils than had been the case in the past.

“All together the 18 basic schools have the capacity to accommodate approximately 30,000 pupils and I am confident that this project is expected to contribute to the implementation of the Fifth National Development Plan and the vision 2030, both of which identify basic education as a major priority area,” he said.

Ambassador Miyashita said the project was intended to enhance access to quality basic education among out-of-school children in Lusaka urban by providing adequate classroom space and improved school health and sanitation services.

Under phase one that was undertaken between 1998 and 2000, eight schools were built at a total cost of K69 billion and under the second phase of the project 10 schools worth K40 billion were constructed.

Labels: BANKING, ROADS, SCHOOLS, SMEs

posted by MrK @ 4:10 AM