Maravi

Local companies owe NACL K10bn

Local companies owe NACL K10bn
By Agness Changala
Thursday January 17, 2008 [03:00]

COMMUNICATIONS minister Sarah Sayifwanda has said local companies owe the National Airports Corporation Limited (NACL) in excess of K10 billion. And Sayifwanda has appointed Monde Wood as chairperson of the NACL. During an orientation workshop for the new board of directors of NACL at Cresta Golfview yesterday, Sayifwanda said the debt burden was inhibiting the corporation from carrying out its mandate effectively.

“Sadly, the majority of these debtors are our own local companies who should have been in the forefront in partnering with National Airports Corporation to bring about improved service delivery,” she said.

Sayifwanda said this situation should be addressed immediately if sanity was to return to the industry.

And Sayifwanda said one of the major challenges that awaited the new board that was ushered in yesterday, was to improve infrastructure at the four designated airports in Zambia.

“For instance, Lusaka International Airport opened its doors to the public way back in 1967. This is over forty years ago and this means that the infrastructure which was built then was still in use but it requires modernisation in order to move in tandem with global developments and demands,” she said.

She said the airport infrastructure at Ndola International Airport required overhauling.

“More especially the terminal building which needs to be replaced with a new one. Ndola airport was built in the 1950s for military use by the colonialists. It is obvious that the airports mandate has changed considerably over the years and hence, the need for a terminal building,” she said.

She said Mfuwe International Airport equally required some improvement to the infrastructure. Sayifwanda urged the new board to take advantage of the opportunities that would be brought to the region during the 2010 World Cup.

Sayifwanda also appointed Dr Patrick Chikusa, Justina Wake, Dr Philip Nkunika, Emmanuel Mbambiko, Mukuka Zimba, Geoffrey Chiyesu, Steve Selenge and Emmanuel Ngulube as board members.

Labels: CONTRACTORS, NACL

posted by MrK @ 3:45 AM