By Chali Mashambe
LUSAKA-17th December, 2024
CABINET PASSES SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESOLUTIONS
Cabinet has passed resolutions on policy and legislative issues aimed at enhancing socio-economic development for the country.
In a Statement made available by Minister of Media and Information who is also Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa, government has reinforced its commitment to national development, emphasizing that it is a responsibility shared by all citizens.
Cabinet has approved the issuance of the National Pension Scheme (Pensionable Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024, which will be effective from 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2025. This Statutory Instrument sets the maximum annual pension contribution for the National Pension you Scheme and establishes the basis for determining minimum pensions, funeral grants, and pension adjustment quotients.
The adjustments aim to preserve the purchasing power of benefits under the scheme, ensuring that member contributions and benefits are aligned with wage inflation. This initiative, mandated by the National Pension Scheme Act, No. 40 of 1996, Section 35, is expected to contribute to a decent livelihood for NAPSA beneficiaries.
Additionally, Cabinet has approved the hosting of the 2025 Meeting of the African Centre for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE) in Lusaka from 4th to 7th February 2025. These annual meetings focus on sharing progress in achieving ACARE’s objectives. The meeting will provide Zambian researchers an opportunity to be exposed to modern technologies and methods in research, potentially reducing research costs and fostering collaborations with other researchers in the region and beyond. The 2023 meeting was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and the 2024 meeting took place in Kisumu, Kenya.
Zambia’s nomination to host the 2025 meeting highlights its growing role in aquatic research and education on the continent.
In wrapping up the day’s discussions, the Cabinet also reflected on the significance of the recently developed Citizens Support Services Portal, which is set to be launched by the government. This portal aims to improve citizen engagement by fostering stronger interactions through a centralized platform where citizens can voice concerns, complaints, and suggestions, thus promoting a participatory governance model. The portal will also enable real-time monitoring and analytics, providing decision-makers with access to real-time data on citizen issues to facilitate trend identification, performance monitoring, and targeted interventions.
The portal will also promote inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of location or socio-economic status, can access government services and report issues through a unified and user-friendly platform. By consolidating and digitizing communication channels, the portal will streamline service delivery, ensuring faster and more efficient resolution of issues while reducing bureaucratic delays. Furthermore, it aligns with e-Government goals by supporting the modernization of public administration and leveraging ICT for sustainable development. This innovative online platform is expected to significantly transform service delivery in the country.
Mr Mweetwa explained that Cabinet also approved the Voluntary National Service Training Programme, which will be conducted by the Zambia National Service (ZNS). This program is designed to train youths on a voluntary basis, instilling in them a sense of entrepreneurship, hard work, and patriotism. The Chief government spokesperson said government also believes that this training will empower youths with various livelihood skills, enabling them to actively and positively participate in economic, social, and political spheres, ultimately contributing to the country’s overall development.
Cabinet identified that is a pressing need to harness the potential of Zambia’s youth, who currently face limited opportunities to contribute positively to national development. The economic activity in the country is insufficient to accommodate the increasing number of youths completing secondary school or graduating from higher learning institutions. The planned voluntary youth training by ZNS aims to address this gap by providing skills that will benefit all youths across all constituencies without any form of segregation.
CIC PRESS TEAM