Zambian TV now can cover Africa Cup after the Zambian government bailed out the money-hungry National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) by footing the 3.1 billion kwacha (over 900,000 US dollars) shortfall needed as TV rights for televising the ongoing African Cup of Nations soccer tournament in Egypt.

Chief government spokesman and Information minister Vernon Mwaanga said here Saturday that the government recognized the importance of the game of football played to Zambia, and decided to help out ZNBC.

In light of the cry from many Zambians after the corporation announced the failure on Friday to broadcast the matches, the government decide to heed the cry by coming to aid to enable Zambians to watch their popular sport, Mwaanga was quoted by Sunday Times of Zambia as saying.

But he said the government is not obliged to sponsor the Africa Cup and is only supposed to assist the national team through the country's sports ministry, hence the delay to bail out ZNBC.

It is ZNBC responsibility to source for fund to broadcast the games, he said.

The minister urged ZNBC to start the fundraising campaign for such assignments in good time in future.

The Africa Cup tournament started on Friday and finish on Feb. 10.

Zambia is in Group C together with Guinea, South Africa, and defending champion, Tunisia.

Zambia will start the ball rolling this afternoon against Tunisia.

On Jan. 13 the government spokesman said that the government would not assist ZNBC to facilitate the beaming of the 2006 MTN Africa Cup.

"We realize how important football is to the nation but ZNBC has not money to broadcast the games and we also don't have the money," Mwaanga said.

State-run ZNBC was seeking 3.6 billion kwacha (about one million US dollars) to facilitate the beaming and had only raised 600 million kwacha (about 176,000 dollars)although it appealed to the business community, embassies and all soccer living individuals to help ZNBC raise the amount of money.

On Jan. 20 when the games started ZNBC announced its failure to broadcast them.

Source: Xinhua