CEC urges shareholders to claim unpaid dividends

By BARNABAS ZULU 

THE Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (CEC) says there is need for shareholders who have unclaimed dividends to derive full value from their investments.

 CEC, which has 10, 982 shareholders, who hold 1, 625, 000, 597 issued ordinary shares, has since rolled out an Unclaimed Dividends Campaign, to sensitise its shareholders to claim their dividends.

In an interview, CEC Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Verona Mwila, said the many unclaimed dividends were the result of outdated shareholder information over the years.

 “We have always had shares being positioned as long-term investments, where shareholders buy and forget about them. But I think shareholders do have a responsibility to ensure that records are up to-date, and to track dividend payments through their brokers and other platforms that are available to them,” Ms. Mwila said.

She added that CEC, in partnership with Corpserve Zambia, remains committed to improving shareholder engagement by providing convenient platforms that make it easier for investors to access information and manage their records.

“It is a very important relationship we have with Copserve, as our transfer secretary, they manage the records on our database, making sure our shareholders’ details are up to-date.

Likewise, if there are any queries from our shareholders, they can come directly to us, which we will then pass on to Copserve or they can engage with our transfer secretary to share any  concerns they may have  are and to make sure they are definitely receiving their dividends,” she said.

Ms. Mwila added that by verifying their details and regularly monitoring their investments, shareholders could easily avoid missing payments and continue enjoying the full benefits of their shareholding.