UPND NEW DAWN ADMINISTRATION GROWS AND STABILISES THE ECONOMY
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says his Government has spent one year in office implementing social economic interventions in order to review and repair the economy as well as deal with the impact of debt on the economy.
Speaking during the official opening, of the Second Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly, at Parliament Buildings today in Lusaka, President Hichilema said,
“During the past one year, government has prioritized the implementation of socio-economic interventions aimed at, repairing and reviving and stabilizing the economy,” he said
Adding that, Government’s focus is in line with the theme “working together towards Social Economic transformation.”
President Hichilema said he is happy that within a year his government has managed to stabilize and grow the economy at 4 per cent.
Adding that the socio economic interventions have led to the inflation rate dropping from 25% to a single digit of 9.8 % within a year.
President Hichilema said it is therefore, for this reason that government has prioritized fiscal discipline, through enhanced transparency and accountability to ensure that resources are used to improve the welfare of the people.
He said that fiscal discipline is meant to protect public resources, as well as serve the Zambian people with a sense of humility, clarity and diligence.
President Hichilema also said that governments focus remains that of transforming Zambia into an industrialized nation with the participation of citizens so as to unlock various economic opportunities to deliver inclusive development, jobs and improved livelihoods for the people.
The Head of State has meanwhile said government will continue to pursue efforts aimed at increasing both local and foreign investments, productivity, value addition and trade ensuring that citizens participate and benefit fully from economic activities.
He told parliament that government is unlocking the economy using the Private sector and has since launched the Public, Private Development Forum for constructive development and to strengthen partnership, industrialization, trade and wealth creation between the Public and Private Sector.
And the President said education is the best possible platform of socio-economic progress any government can and should make available to its citizens.
He said it is for this reason that government has done away with tuition and examinations fees in order to provide free education in public schools.
President Hichilema said this is to ensure that more of the children who were unable to attend school, can be given an opportunity to do so
Mr. Hichilema also said that to fill up the gap in finances created by the free education policy, government has increased grants to schools. as well as ensuring timely delivery of the same, to cater for their operations.
@ THE FALCON