A Committee Report worth reading?

Parliament online are doing a great job in publishing some of the Committee Reports, although the interest seems very low (judging from the "hits"). I am sure it has something to do with the unreliable nature of their website, though lack of awareness seems more likely. A lot of 2007 Committe Reports where released in February 2008. If you are only going to read one of the reports there, make sure it is Mulipi's October 2007 on the performance of parastatals. (though the Agriculture Report is a close second!) I have uploaded it separatelybelow, just in case you can't access the Parliament website.

Read this document on Scribd: PAC Report on Parastatals

On ZAMPOST:

Your Committee note that ZAMPOST is facing serious operational problems. While acknowledging lack of financial support to the Company after dissolution of the Posts and Telecommunications Company, they observe that the Company has also suffered from lack of innovation. The Company has failed to reposition itself in the highly technologically advanced business environment that is obtaining. If this state of affairs continues, the Corporation may not be able to improve its financial performance and position.

On NACL:

As can be seen from the Profit and Loss Account extract, operating and administration costs were higher than turnover in the years 2002 to 2004 resulting in the Company recording losses from operating activities. It can be further noted that while turnover only increased by 40 percent from 2002 to 2005, Directors’ fees and expenses on the other hand had increased by 240 percent over the same period. In addition, no dividends were declared to the Government and no corporation tax was paid during the period under review.

On ZAMTEL :

As at December 2005, subscribers owed ZAMTEL K243,976 billion out of which amounts totalling K97,535 billion were owed by the Government.