PRIME TV proprietor Gerald Shawa says he is sorry and he has realized that the station cannot survive without government.

Last week, Chief government spokesperson Dora Siliya said government and any of its agents would no longer conduct any business with Prime TV because they were unpatriotic.

Siliya said the decision was necessitated by the position taken by Shawa that the station would not help government in sensitizing members of the public about the Coronavirus.

In response, the station wrote a letter to the government, seeking audience to settle the matter but the letter was not responded to.

Speaking at a press briefing, Monday, Shawa said he had acted out of emotion.

“I have called for this briefing in order for me apologise to the Zambian people and also to the government. The way I came out I was so emotional. I would like to say sorry to the government as Prime TV and on my own behalf as Gerald Shawa. We are very much willing to work with government. As Prime TV, we have continued to also advertise the COVID-19 commercials and sensitization messages and we will continue. I think most of you have already seen what we are doing. I think no one can stay away from government and no one can be an island. We all need to work with government and the government is the people so there is no one who can say ‘I will never work with the government’. I think most of you are aware that we made frantic efforts to engage the government and you could see from the onset we did humble ourselves to write to the government to engage them and apologize to say the way I came out was not the right way as a leader. I say sorry,” Shawa said.

“This is why today, we have thought of apologising, hoping that it would move things. We took the responsibility to apologise so that maybe we can mend the relations, since we wrote that letter and nothing was forthcoming so we took it upon ourselves to apologise.”

When asked if he thought the relationship with government would be restored, he responded in the affirmative.

“Yes, we will continue having the same warm and cordial relationship we have had with government. As I said, no one can operate or survive or do business without the government. And government is the people. So we will continue with the same friendship,” said Shawa.