-Nakonde Chief supports removal of subsidies

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Nakonde Chief supports removal of subsidies

 

Nakonde, May 25, 2013, ZANIS…Chieftainess Nawaitwika of the Namwanga
people of Nakonde district has supported government’s decision to remove subsidies

on fuel and maize.

 

Chieftainess Nawaitwika said the two subsidies did not benefit the majority of the poor Zambians.


Chieftainess Nawaitwika has however, cautioned the Government not to
abuse the funds which will be saved from the removal of the two
subsidies.


She said the money to be saved from the removal of the two subsidies
should be used in improving the livelihood of the poor especially in
rural areas where there are high poverty levels.


Chieftainess Nawaitwika was speaking at her palace yesterday when
Muchinga Province Minister Colonel Gerry Chanda paid a courtesy call on
her.


The traditional ruler said the subsidies on fuel and maize only
benefited a few people at the expense of majority Zambians adding
that the funds should now down to a common person
in the village.


Earlier, Muchinga Province minister Col. Chanda said he was visiting
the traditional leader to introduce himself as the new minister for
the province taking over from Mr. Banda who has been redeployed into
the foreign Service.


Col. Chanda said he also wanted to take time to explain to the
traditional leaders in the province the rationale behind the removal
of subsidies on fuel and maize by the Government so that in turn they
can explain to their subjects.
Col. Chanda said the Government was losing about K300 million per
month and about K1.2 Trillion annually through the two subsidies which
did not benefit the majority of the Zambian people.

He said that the Government under the leadership of President Sata has
taken a bold step to remove the subsidies on fuel and maize so as to
channel the funds to other projects that will greatly benefit the
majority of the poor Zambians.


Col. Chanda said the Government intends to scale up the Social Cash
Transfer scheme to benefit the vulnerable people in the entire
country.

He said that the Social Cash Transfer scheme has been on pilot in
selected districts adding that it is such programmes that the PF
Government would want to scale up using the funds that will be saved
from the subsidies that have been removed on maize and fuel.

Government recently removed subsidies on fuel and maize so as to
channel the funds to other projects such as infrastructure
development.

The move has however been received with mixed feelings from a cross
section of society.

President Michael Sata has since directed Ministers and their deputies
to go country-wide and explain to the people the benefits
of the subsidy removal.

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