Top news items in major Zambia media outlets

The following are news highlights in Zambia's major media outlets on Saturday.

-- Over 14,000 vulnerable girls will be sent back to school under a girls' empower program, a senior Zambian government official has said.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela said the girls would be sent back to school under the Girls Education, Women Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) program with a total budget of 65 million U.S. dollars.

The program also intends to empower 75,000 vulnerable women. (Times of Zambia)

-- Zambia's revenue agency says it will start collecting tax from foreigners selling imported goods at all borders using an open market.

Kingsley Chanda, the commissioner general of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) said the agency was concerned that traders from neighboring countries were not registered for local taxes but generated income in Zambia, adding that the illegal practice would be checked because it was not benefiting the country. (Daily Nation)

-- The Zambian government is concerned with the high interest rates charged by banks in the country, saying this was affecting the growth of the private sector.

Minister of Finance Felix Mutati said while other economic fundamentals such as inflation and the exchange rate have shown stability, interest rates had remained high, adding that having favorable interest rates would boost private sector growth and the economy. (Zambia Daily Mail) Endit