. Msiska

By SYLVESTER MWALE –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has suspended procurement of new road contracts and other infrastructure projects until the country moves out of the current economic challenges.
The President has directed Government ministries and other spending agencies to engage the Attorney-General to review committed projects signed but not yet commenced with a view to defer where necessary.
“Further, no Government department will procure works or enter into contracts for goods or services for which there is insufficient or no budgetary allocations, as approved by Parliament,” he said.
Mr Lungu said during the Press conference in Lusaka yesterday that in light of the recent economic challenges, the focus should be on the completion of on-going projects.
The Head of State noted that the financing of the ambitious infrastructural development programme must be re-aligned to enhance budgetary sustainability.
“Regarding on-going road projects, in particular, the minister of Works and Supply shall embark on a phased approach in the implementation of road projects over a longer period and employ other options other than just continuous use of bitumen,” he said.
In order to reduce the cost of running Government, Mr Lungu also deferred the establishment of the national airline until such a time that the economy is able to afford the high establishment costs.
Foreign travel by ministers, Government and quasi-Government officials should also be limited to essential meetings only, with the size of delegations restricted to the barest minimum.
Mr Lungu ordered that local travels by ministers and other public servants must be significantly minimised.
Secretary to the Cabinet Rowland Msiska has been tasked to urgently facilitate commercial bank-funded loan schemes for personal-to-holder vehicles and household furniture which is more akin to personal benefits rather than to the delivery of public services.
Dr Msiska has also been ordered to expedite the review of the conditions of service for constitutional holders to make them less onerous.
Mr Lungu said while he was a beneficiary of the law on the former constitutional holders’ benefits, his conscious was not at peace because it did not reflect the dire economic situation faced by the country.
He also announced the suspension of the establishment of new missions abroad and warned that the Government would religiously pursue those who were failing to pay taxes.
“I wish to send a timely warning that anyone not paying their fair share of taxes will be vigorously pursued while officers engaged in collusion with taxpayers to defraud the Treasury will be discharged and prosecuted,” he said.