The Zambia Airports Corporation Limited has presented a dividend cheque of 5 million Kwacha to the Ministry of Finance for the year ended December 2018.
ZACL board chairperson Milingo Lungu says the organizations recorded a profit of 80 million four hundred and ten thousand five hundred and thirty eight Kwacha after tax.
Mr. Lungu says in a speech read for him by ZACL vice chairperson Prisca Chikwashi that three million two hundred and seventeen thousand nine hundred and thirty kwacha was paid in taxes.
“From an infrastructure perspective, our upgrade projects continue to progress well with the new greenfield airport in Ndola currently at 48 percent and the various upgrade works at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport currently at 85 percent”, Mr. Lungu says.
He has further requested the ministry to “consider extension of the Economic Tax Free status given to the airport Multi Facility Economic Zone to include Kenneth Kaunda International Airport as this will help in ensuring that the airport is positioned to become the next regional air transport hub in Africa”.
And receiving the cheque on behalf of government, Finance Minister Dr. Bwalya Ngandu says government will continue to run state owned enterprises as businesses in order to boost their profitability.
Meanwhile Dr. Ngandu has revealed that government is embarking on umgrading provincial Airports in a bid to improve tourism in the country.
He says improving the provincial aviation infrastructure will advantage tourists who do not want to travel by road to their ordered tourism cites.
Dr. Ngandu has expressed confidence that the move will attract both tourists and investors into the country.