Chanda: Creating New Ministries Is Useless, Unwise

FOURTH Revolution president Eric Chanda says President Edgar Lungu’s decision to create four more ministries is useless and unwise.
President Lungu announced in Parliament on Friday the creation of the ministries of Presidential Affairs, Water, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, Housing and Infrastructure Development and Religious Affairs and National Guidance.
“…In order to enhance efficiency in government operations, my government proposes to this august house to realign some government ministries and departments subject to ratification of this house,” President Lungu told Parliament.
“In this regard, I am proposing that we create four new ministries, not that I want to give jobs to people, but these are essential in our appreciation of government obligations. The first one will be the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, the second one will be Ministry of Water and Sanitation and Environmental Protection, the third one is Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development, the fourth one will be the Ministry of Religious Affairs and National Guidance.”
But Chanda, in an interview yesterday, said it did not make sense to create four more ministries when the Zambian economy was limping.
He said President Lungu should rethink his decision in the interest of the suffering Zambians.
“Some of these people don’t know why they are in those positions and what they need to do. Creating four more ministries is useless and unwise. First of all, they are the first ones preaching about tightening the fiscal policy. It seems they don’t understand what it means to tighten the belt. They do not understand anything at all because when you tell people to tighten their belts, you should lead by example. Now, are they leading by example to control and reduce government expenditure by creating unnecessary ministries?” Chanda asked.
“The first answer I will receive is no; and no in capital letters. Now, because this money is not coming from Edgar Lungu’s pockets, he can do anything that pleases him just to offer jobs to his friends who have been elected as MPs. For us as Fourth Revolution, we have found this as total financial indiscipline on the part of President Lungu and the entire PF leadership. This financial indiscipline is what we cannot tolerate as Zambians. We need to see reduced ministries. Yes, the Constitution can say we can have up to 30 ministers but number one, you should first think, ‘do I have the money that can keep these 30 ministers?’”
He said it was an undeniable fact that the country’s economy was in bad shape.
“If you think you have the money, that is when you can appoint as many ministers as you can. But looking at the economic challenges that we are facing in this country, it is very unwise for anybody to increase the number of ministries. I have no kind words for comrade Edgar Lungu on this one. This is a very unwise decision that he has made and it should be reversed forthwith. For example, women have a chance to have as many children as they can, even 10 children. But first of all, you need to ask yourself, ‘If I have 10 children, will I manage to take them to school, feed them from my salary?’ That can restrict you from having 10 and you can decide to have maybe two or four,” Chanda said.
He said it was sad that President Lungu was aiming at going by what the Constitution stipulated on the number of ministers in Cabinet without considering the economic challenges the country was facing.
“He should now start thinking of where he will get the money to pay the ministers, permanent secretaries, directors and all the support staff of these new ministries. President Lungu is limited in terms of thinking. We are failing to pay Times of Zambia staff, we are struggling to pay civil servants, and now we want to add another burden on the already constrained treasury. Is that the best decision you can make as a President? That to me shows that you don’t know what you are doing. These ministries he wants come with their own costs; even just creating it, offices…I really don’t know what he is thinking. But I understand him because he will not be getting money from his pockets,” said Chanda.
“The taxpayers are the ones who are going to feel the pinch. You tell him to reverse this decision. If he wants to create jobs for his friends and relatives, he must wait for this country to be economically stable. To us, it is a useless decision and will never make any economic sense in this country. Echo balandila ati Eric Chanda alikwata imiponto (That is why they say I am sarcastic), it’s because it pains me.”