Saturday, April 05, 2008

Siliya commends Zambian Airways for being proactive, aggressive

Siliya commends Zambian Airways for being proactive, aggressive
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Saturday April 05, 2008 [04:00]

Communications and transport minister Dora Siliya has commended Zambian Airways for being proactive and aggressive in its three-year strategic plan. And Siliya has observed that there are a lot of opportunities for growth in Zambia's airline industry.

During a presentation by Zambian Airways of its ‘Three-year growth and development plan from 2008 to 2010’ on Thursday at The Post offices, Siliya said Zambia, like most African countries, had a lot of areas that were still not air linked.

"Just today, I had to drive for four to five hours from Petauke to Lusaka, but had Zambian Airways connected that area, maybe it could have taken me 20 to 30 minutes,"


Siliya said. "So what I am saying is that there is a lot of room for the airline business to thrive because a lot of areas in Zambia still remain not air linked."

Siliya extolled Zambian Airways for being practical by embarking on forceful three-year expansion despite the challenges the airline was facing.

"We are very happy to see that you are not sitting back and crying to government about the challenges you are facing in your growth but instead you have taken a proactive approach and you are engaging all the stakeholders," Siliya said.

"I am are particularly glad that you are marketing your three-year expansion plan to stakeholders who include financiers who are critical to growth because we feel the only way you are going to succeed in your strategic plan in the next three years is by engaging stakeholders who include financiers as they are relevant."

She also said Ministry of Communications and Transport would keep its doors open for Zambian Airways to engage government on the number of challenges the airline was facing in its expansion programme.

Siliya also expressed satisfaction with the growth rate of the Zambian Airways.
"Last year, there was a time we felt in government that maybe we were moving too fast in our policy reforms for the private sector to respond. But when we look at the progress of Zambian Airways we see the fruits of those reforms," said Siliya.

"And as a ministry, we will continue to implement regulations and policies that create an enabling environment for private sector growth in the aviation sector to respond and thrive thereby making more money for the government to do what it knows best and that is to provide social services like education and health to the Zambian people.

And presenting the three-year growth and development plan, Zambian Airways chief operating officer David Evans said the airline was targeting to create an aviation training facility that would generate about 100 skilled aviation jobs.

Evans said the airline was also looking at utilizing the hangar of the defunct Zambia Airways which had been lying idle for more than ten years.

"If you asked most airlines in Africa about some of the biggest challenges they were facing today, it is lack of parking space and where to conduct the maintenance of their aircrafts," Evans said. "But that is not the case with us because we have got the former Zambia Airways hangar. That is a hidden gem that has been sitting idle for ten years and if we utilize it, it will help to build capacity for the country because right now we have planes flying over Zambia going to South Africa...so if we start using that hangar at the airport, all those planes would be doing the maintenance in Zambia. And most importantly that will also allow us to create about 100 skilled aviation jobs.

I mean engineers and pilots thereby resulting in a major contribution and for us to make a huge impact on the economic growth of Zambia. And that is a gem we must develop."
Evans also said the aviation sector in the country would continue to post strong results for growth despite recent recession in global economy.

"I was in Europe a few days ago and I saw how negatively those markets have been affected by recession in the global economy but I think that is not the case here because the demand for aviation services is there.

The opportunities for growth here are still great as the demand is very high," said Evans. "And the fact that the Zambian economy is growing, will also positively impact on the growth of the airline because there is strong link between economic growth and growth of the aviation industry."

And Zambian Airways chief executive officer Mutembo Nchito said the airline was determined to expand its operations through a three-year growth and development plan.
He also said the airline would continue to engage all stakeholders like financiers in its expansion programme.

"There are certain things like fuel costs that we can do nothing about but we are ready to take control of things within our control and grow the airline," said Nchito.
Among the people who attended the presentation included Investrust Bank managing director Friday Ndhlovu and Development Bank of Zambia managing director Dr Abraham Mwenda and Pangea EMI Securities director Ceaser Siwale.

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posted by MrK @ 3:44 AM

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