By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
THE National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA)’s investment portfolio rose from K7 billion in 2013 to K9 billion by June 30, 2014.
According to the figures displayed on NAPSA stand at the 88th Agricultural and Commercial Show in Lusaka, the investment portfolio
stood at K9.1 billion as at June 30, this year compared to K7 billion recorded over the same period in 2013.
NAPSA investment comprised Government bonds and securities, treasury bills, real estate, company shares and corporate bonds.
The figures indicate that NAPSA invested K55 million in corporate bonds, K320 million was invested in treasury bills while K3.1 million was invested in loans.
Government bonds accounted for K3.6 billion, while fixed bonds accounted for K1.9 billion, with K1.2 billion going towards shares.
Meanwhile, the authority is in the process of acquiring the services of a global custodian in a bid to enhance technical capacity in terms of fund management.
NAPSA investment manager Dorothy Moyo said at the show in Lusaka on Monday that the authority wanted to enhance the technical capacity in terms of fund management.
“We want to enhance the technical capacity in terms of fund management. We have input programes such as acquiring services of
the global custodian,” Ms Moyo said.
Ms Moyo said NAPSA was currently at a tender stage and had already short-listed two institutions and was now going for the request of
proposal stage to ensure that all tender procedures were followed.
“We are still doing the tendering stage, we have not yet selected one because the tender process is going on,” she said.
She said the advisor would provide technical advice in terms of the investment strategy in specialised assets.
Ms Moyo said NAPSA was soliciting land from the councils for housing projects and had since written to various councils in the country and
those that would respond in good time, the authority would move in quickly.
She said NAPSA was still awaiting for responses from the councils in Solwezi, Chipata, Petauke and Choma to ensure that they acquired land as that way, they could deliver affordable houses.
