By STEVEN ZANDE –

.Musonda

THE Government should consider devise a clear plan of recapitalising public media institutions, the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has said.
ZUJ president Shamaoma Musonda said while the call by Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba for government departments that owed the two companies to settle their debts immediately was welcome, it would not resolve the problems they faced.
He said a longer-term solution was for Government to work out a plan to invest in the companies to restore their viability.
“Government is better-placed to solve problems facing the two institutions. This is because Government owns these companies,” Mr Musonda said.
He said this in an interview yesterday.
Mr Yamba on Tuesday expressed concern at financial plight of the Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail and directed that government departments that owed the two companies money should pay up.
Mr Musonda said while the ZUJ welcomed Mr Yamba’s statements –made before a Parliamentary Committee – what the two companies needed was recapitalisation.
He appealed to Mr Yamba, to use his position at Treasury to consider deducting the money owed to the Times and Daily Mail by Government departments at the source as this would expedite the due payments.
Mr Musonda said this would practically help dissolve the debts, but that the measure was nowhere near the huge amounts needed for recapitalisation, which was crucial for the long-term sustainability of the institutions.
He said it was sad that employees at the Times of Zambia, who were owed months in salary arrears also had to routinely endure delayed salaries, thus putting the workers in distress.
Mr Musonda said the Industrial Development Cooperation (IDC) should prove the value of its existence by expediting investments in State-owned enterprises (SOEs) like Times of Zambia to improve their viability.
ZUJ was concerned that despite numerous promises, IDC was yet to make a full commitment in terms of recapitalising the media institution.