By Own Correspondent – The Gambia continues to face a heavy debt burden, despite the fact that the country’s economy has performed well in 2010 mainly because of continued strong growth in agriculture, a statement issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed Thursday. “Interest on debt consumes about 20 percent of government revenues, mostly in interest on domestic debt,” the statement said. The statement followed a two-week long IMF mission led by David Dunn to assess performance under the seventh review of the Gambia’s economic program supported by the IMF under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). According to the... Continue Reading
By Nawa Mutumweno – Australian electrical and power line contactors KEC has been engaged by the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) as one of the contractors to put up the over $16 million-second dual circuit power transmission line between Zambia and DRC. Following the signing of agreements between DRC’s SNEL, and its financier, The World Bank, the construction of the second line of the 220kV interconnector is scheduled to be implemented. The project is estimated to cost $16.2 million. CEC managing director for operations Neil Croucher disclosed that two separate tenders have been issued with one looking at the supply and... Continue Reading
By Nawa Mutumweno – Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), an independent power company, plans to build a 40-MW hydropower station in North Western Zambia to improve its electricity provision capacity. According to CEC corporate development managing director Michael Tarney, the firm would invest about $120 million on developing the Kabompo hydropower project by 2015. A feasibility study has since been completed and the power utility was negotiating the granting of a concession for the project. Construction was expected to start within the next two years. This power project could offer possible additional power supplies to the nearby mines, in a region... Continue Reading
Kizito Makoye (Dar es Salaam) – Salum Khalfan Bar’wani- a 51-year-old family man from a remote township of Lindi; on the shores of Indian Ocean, southeast of Tanzania is probably rubbing hands with glee as an emerged world star following his astounding victory to Tanzania’s parliament. What made him a shining star is simply, he is an albino. Albinism is a genetic condition that causes loss of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes, phenomenon mostly affecting people of African descent. Bar’wani’s victory has come at the right time when Tanzania grapples to suppress the tide of vicious killings of... Continue Reading
By Own Correspondent – The Brikama Magistrates’ Court Tuesday issued a witness summon against the head chief of the Kombo South district in the West Coast Region, Alhaji Sheriff Aja Janneh. This followed an application made before Principal Magistrate AK Ceesay by the prosecuting officer, for a witness summon to be issued against head chief Janneh. Chief Janneh was summoned to appear in court and give evidence in the ongoing trial for alleged criminal trespass and disobedience to lawful order against Dembo Manneh, Sulayman Jammeh, Ismaila Sambou and Ismaila Jammeh. According to the prosecuting officer, Sgt 1260 A. Colley, it... Continue Reading
