Government says it is loosing billions of Kwacha every year through corrupt  practices which  have  become a wide spread phenomenon in business  transactions in the various sectors of the economy in the Country.

Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Jennifer Musonda said  Government and many other
organisations including the mining Sector  had experienced situations where they
have paid for items either on inflated  prices , items that have never been
delivered or paying twice for the same goods.

ZANIS Kitwe reports that Mrs Musonda said corruption in procurement of goods and
services would  have a serious impact on economic development and poverty
alleviation in the Country if not checked.

The PS said  this in kitwe today in a speech read on her behalf by Kitwe District
Commissioner Macdonald Mtine at the official opening of a two day Anti Corruption
Commission (ACC)  workshop for procurement officers drawn from the Mining sector.

She added that it was important that procurement being one of the  areas most
vulnerable to corruption was manned by people of high integrity.

The PS said there was need for elaborate and clear guidelines  in the procurement
system inorder to ensure transparency and accountability.

Mr Musonda said procurement officers need to be given specific instructions about
the goals of procurement and be held accountable for transactions they carried out.

And speaking earlier at the same function, Anti Corruption Copperbelt Regional
Director , Milton Siakabeya called on procurement officers in the mining sector to
put  in place  measures aimed at preventing fraud.

Mr Siakabeya said the ACC had since embarked on a programme to educate procurement officers from the various sectors of the economy on risk management to avoid fraud.

President Levy Mwanawasa says opposition Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata is a  finished politician and has nothing to offer.

Mr Mwanawasa said he defeated Mr Sata in the 2001 and 2006 presidential and parliamentary elections hands down.

The president said for this reason he refused to be judged by Mr Sata’s standards even if he continues to level negative accusations against him.

Mr Mwanawasa said this on arrival at Livingstone International Airport.

He said allegations made against him by Mr Sata that levies collected from markets
go to State House should be dismissed by Zambians people because they lack
credibility and only aim to discredit him and his economic achievements.

Agriculture Permanent Secretary Dr. Sam Mundia has commended farmers in Western Province for harvesting 41,353 metric tonnes of maize compared to last year’s 32,487 metric tonnes.

Dr. Mundia has since appealed to farmers in the province to properly secure their
harvest to avoid it getting destroyed.

He has also appealed to farmers to consider planting drought resistant crops  to
boost food security in the province.

Dr. Mundia warned farmers not to sell the 60% subsided fertilizer.

Officiating at this year’s Mongu agriculture and commercial show, Mr Mundia  said
the selling of subsidized fertilizer by some farmers was impeding government efforts
to boost the agriculture industry in the country.

He said government through the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP), was committed to
enhancing food production among the small scale farmers around the country.

Dr. Mundia also disclosed that government has allocated K110 million towards
irrigation farming at Namushakende Farm Institute in  Mongu.

He said irrigation was one of the government priorities in agriculture production.

Dr. Mundia further  disclosed that K63 million has been allocated to rejuvenate the
cashew industry in Western  province.

He also said government will next year carry out a tse-tse fli eradication campaign
in Sesheke and Shangombo districts by spraying an area of about 20,000 square km in
the two districts.

Dr. Mundia said  the project was part of the Pan-African tse-tse fly eradication
campaign.

Dr. Mundia  appealed to farmers to join or form cooperatives as they were a vehicle
for development in rural areas.

Former United States President Bill Clinton, who is in the country, today met President Mwanawasa at State House.

Mr. Clinton arrived at State House at 14.35 hours and was received by President Mwanawasa.

Mr Clinton signed the State House visitors book before he went into a closed door
meeting with President Mwanawasa that lasted for over one hour.

Health minister Dr Brian Chituwo, Foreign Affairs minister Mundia Sikatana, Zambia’s
ambassador to the United States Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika and other senior
government officials were part of the Zambian delegation that met the former US
President at State House.

Mr. Clintons visit is part of his four nation African tour of South Africa, Malawi,
Zambia and Tanzania to oversee projects funded by the Clinton Foundation.

The former US leaders visit comes barely two weeks after the current US First Lady
Laura Bush visited Zambia.

The 42nd American President is scheduled to leave Zambia for Tanzania tomorrow
before returning home on Tuesday.

Mr. Clinton, 61, is largely viewed as the ‘first black president’ of America because
of his closeness to causes of African Americans and his interest in developing
Africa.

And Foreign Affairs minister Mundia Sikatana told ZANIS later in an interview that
Mr. Clinton’s visit to Zambia was of utmost importance to the relations between
Zambia and the United States of America.

Mr Sikatana said Mr Clinton’s visit is a sign that under President Mwanawasa’s
leadership, Zambia’s profile has risen tremendously on the global arena.

Mr. Sikatana said Zambia’s continued peaceful environment has resulted in visits by
eminent world leaders to the country.