Government has appointed Zambia Daily Mail and Times Printpak boards.

Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Kampamba Mulenga, who unveiled the two boards at a press briefing in Lusaka, Thursday, urged them to strengthen the editorial and business side of the newspapers so as to make profits and declare dividends to the state.

She also disclosed that her ministry has submitted names of the proposed ZNBC board to the National Assembly of Zambia which are waiting for ratification by Parliament.

Mulenga listed Gideon Mwewa, Mabel Mungonga, Nikiwe Simpungwe, Horace Longwe, Bwalya Mwila, Mkusuwila Nachalwe, Lydia Mpepo, Permanent Secretary Godfrey Malama, and Times of Zambia Managing Director Bestone Ngonga as board members for Times Printpak.

Meanwhile, Mulenga listed Geoffrey Wamusuwila Simukoko, Maureen Nkandu, Winstone Muchemwa Siwale, Simon Mwale, Dr Gillian Mukula Mwamba, Dr Chanda Mulenga, Godfrey Malama and Daily Mail Managing Director Nebert Mbewe as board members for the Zambia Daily Mail.

“You may recall that the boards for the two companies were dissolved in 2015 and since then, the companies have operated without boards. But government recognises the important role that corporate governance plays and hence the reconstitution of the boards for the two companie,” Mulenga said.

Mulenga congratulated the new members and urged them to ensure that they resolve the financial challenges facing the two companies.

“Government expects you to ensure that the financial challenges facing these two companies are resolved so that the companies become self-sustaining. It will not be easy but through engagements with debtors and creditors, the financial challenges should be resolved. Government also expects you to strengthen the editorial and business side o the newspapers so that they start to make profits and declare dividends to the state,” Mulenga said.

And Mulenga said the ministry has also submitted names of the proposed ZNBC board to the National Assembly of Zambia which are waiting for ratification by Parliament.

“We have put some names in place for ZNBC board but as you are aware, the board can only be announced after ratification from parliament. So we have made a submission before parliament. So until parliament makes that ratification, we do not have a board but I can assure that we having a board as soon as parliament rises,” said Mulenga.