18 October 2007
Ndola — President Levy Mwanawasa has called on the business community in the country to help in the anti-corruption crusade by engaging in good corporate practices and place themselves above dubious dealings.
Dr Mwanawasa said in Lusaka yesterday that the economy was still at a crucial stage where it needed further investments and that could only be possible if there were concerted efforts in the fight against corruption. Dr Mwanawasa said good corporate governance was one of the tenets of his administration and the corporate sector should join hands to help eradicate corruption. The President said this when he officiated at a monthly business luncheon organised by the Institute of Directors (IOD) of Zambia at Taj Pamodzi Hotel.
He said since most corrupt practices involved people from the economic and business sector, the corporate community should take a leading role in fighting corruption. In his address on the theme: "Corporate Governance and Corruption", Dr Mwanawasa said: "Government officials cannot corrupt themselves, but are assisted by business people.
"The Government alone cannot, therefore, fight and win the war against corruption in our country. The IOD and its members must join hands with the Government in combating the vice." As a way forward, he said, both supply and demand sides of corruption should be curbed while adherence to rule of Law should be assured. There should be fair competition and efficiency among entities and all administrative barriers against proper transactions should be eliminated while all sectors should embrace good business practices. Dr Mwanawasa said Government took the issue of good corporate practices seriously as evidenced by its fight against corruption. He said bad corporate practice or its absence undermined prosperity because investors shunned any corruption-plagued country. If corrupt practices were rife in the country, it would be difficult to create efficient businesses and it would not be easy to demand improved performance and accountability in the scenario.
Dr Mwanawasa said Government was not complacent about current provisions as it was a corporate entity in its own right and it would work closely with the institute to enhance corporate governance. Hailing the institute for holding programmes intended to enhance good governance among various stakeholders including members of Parliament, Dr Mwanawasa proposed that the exercise should be extended to other Government officials from civic leaders up to Cabinet ministers. Moving a vote of thanks, institute immediate past president, Esau Nebwe said that the corporate sector was happy about Government's economic performance and its fight against corruption. In his welcoming remarks, IOD president Mumba Kapumpa said that the institute, founded in 2000, was a weapon to champion good corporate governance.
He said the institute felt proud to be the first entity to host President Mwanawasa after being bestowed with the honorary degree in Law and congratulated him on behalf of the corporate sector.
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