ECL not to blame for Zambia’s economic challenges

…Hon. Chiteme says it’s the hand of God at play of which the government has no control of.

By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka (08-08-19) National Development Planning Minister Alexander Chiteme has decried lies told about the performance of President Edgar Lungu in which the opposition are saying he has failed to inspire Zambia’s economic growth.
Hon. Chiteme told journalists at the PF Interactive Forum held at Longacres on Thursday that some opposition parties leaders have developed lies a science of survival in to escape the biting economic not unique to Zambia alone.
Hon. Chiteme suggested that, the economic melt down cannot entirely blamed on president Lungu and the ruling PF alone.
He said nature has a hand in the erring economy and there is little or nothing president Lungu can do to fight it.
According to Hon. Chiteme, severe climate change experienced in most parts of the country saw a reduction in power production.
He regretted that the reduction in power supply led to scaling down in the production industry which is responsible for the economic growth.
He said it is unfair to compare the economic growth in 2011 to what is prevailing today without taking into consideration other overriding factors,including climate change which is leading to the decline in the economic growth today.
In 2011 Hon. Chiteme explained, the economic shocks when the economy to grew at 7% were not as severe as they are today.
In an apparent reference to the energy sector which led to the reduction in the production industry, Hon Chiteme said the production industry has drastically slowed down due insufficient power.
He said the recent economic challenges the country is experiencing are not unique to Zambia.
Across the Sahara, Hon Chiteme noted, the economic growth rate is slightly below or above 2.5% are due to the negative dynamics causes by the climate  the countries are.
Zambia is not an exception in terms of being a victim of climate change as can be seen from the many parts Africa where draught and floods are being witnessed.”
In Zambia, Hon. Chiteme explained, the effects of climate changes has hit bad the energy sector responsible for the production industry.
Despite the current shocks shocks being being supported by the negative climate change, the economy in Zambia is performing well in relation to tangible economic activities and infrastructure development going on in Zambia today.
Contrary to speculation by prophets of dooms that have been telling lots of lies about the performance of the economic the country’s GDP is slowly  picking thanks to the massive infrastructure development the country has invested.
He said it was malicious for some section society, including civil society organisations and the church to accuse the government of borrowing for consumption.
Hon Chiteme said he would resigned a long time ago if the PF was borrowing for consumption.
He clarified that the all the money which the PF has been borrowing has been channelled toward infrastructure developments.
He said the government has put up strategic infrastructure development which has made Zambia a land linked country.
According to Chiteme, Zambia has seen massive market linkages that ensures the farmers access markets the situation which was not the same then.
He said Zambia is now chasing the vision 2030 which require financing which is not readily available and yet when the government borrow, some prophets of doom are on hand to criticise.
He said the government will not tire to champion the infrastructure development across the country even in place where the people did not vote for the people.
He said the PF has moved away eople to move away from the politics of promising to development orientation campaign.
Come 2021, the PF will be moving across the country showing the people what it has been doing all this far and shame the critics that still want to promise campaign to being practical which the what they still want to do.
He said the infrastructure development being seen today were not there in 2011 when the PF took over.
He also clarified that the decision by the government to temporarily put on hold sales Taxes is to facilitate facilitate further consultation with all key players in the economy.
He said the idea of sales taxes was brought about in the best interest of the country.
He said the huge policy shift would not yield any good result without an input from all key players.
He said the introduction of sales tax was not meant to muzzle the other sectors but to promote the common good of the economy of the country.
He said Zambia’s benefit is dependent on what happens to the consuming countries and a shift in policy without consensus likely to give Zambia a bad end due to the commodity prices going down that will be affected by the shift.
He further observed that Zambia today is considered the an alternative investment destination due to good policies being put in place.
The investment taking place in Zambia can be attributed to the good policies the government has introduced in the country.