By JAMES KUNDA –

. MSISKA

GOVERNMENT has cut spending on its operations by 50 per cent following the implementation of austerity measures announced by President Edgar Lungu last year, Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska has disclosed.
Dr Msiska said there has been a significant reduction in spending on activities such as trips, workshops and procurement of furniture and equipment such as motor vehicles for the civil service.
“There has been a significant reduction in spending on activities such as trips, workshops and procurement of furniture and equipment such as vehicles for the civil service.
“Our savings in the last few months clearly indicate that these measures are yielding fruit,  hence implementation shall continue even when the global economy recovers,” Dr Msiska said.
He said this in Lusaka on Sunday when he featured on a Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) weekly programme dubbed Sunday Interview.
President Lungu, at a Press conference in November last year, pronounced a series of austerity measures to keep the country afloat, amid the global economic downturn perpetuated by low commodity prices.
Dr Msiska said the austerity measures had helped Government recover 50 per cent of its expenditure in the form of savings.
He said a Bill to legalise the reduction in the benefits of former constitutional office bearers has been formulated and was ready for consideration by Cabinet.
Dr Msiska said the Bill would be considered by Cabinet prior to debate in Parliament, which he expected would approve it for enactment into law.
In his address to the National Assembly in September last year, President Lungu said as part of the austerity measures, former Heads of State, beginning with himself after he left office, would not be the built houses by the Government.
Dr Msiska said the implementation phase of the President’s pronouncement was in full motion and the measure would also affect other officers such as the Chief Justice and Speaker of the National Assembly.
He said Government was also formulating a system where Members of Parliament (MPs) would get their gratuities in smaller quantities on a monthly basis as opposed to the current lump-sum arrangement.
Dr Msiska assured the nation that the civil service was consistently improving its operations in order for it to fulfill the mandate of better service delivery to the people.