Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) says it hopes that the 2016 Budget will take into consideration the rising cost of living and the various economic shocks that Zambia has faced in the third quarter of 2015.
The Centre hopes to see priority placed on the much talked about diversification of the Zambian economy through sustainable projects.
It says it is looking to a 2016 budget that creates an environment that will ensure private sector involvement in production and manufacturing and thereby the creation of jobs and viable incomes that contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
It states that this can be done through reduction in the cost of doing business for women and youths to enable them participate in adding value to local goods through manufacturing which will broaden the tax base and reduce poverty levels among the marginalized.
The JCTR says this would thus add value to the government’s plan to implement various industrialization and empowerment schemes with various ministries.
The Centre also hopes that government will take more stringent measures to ensure lower levels of default and increase loan repayments actualized as these would help these empowerment projects be self-sustainable and reduce wastage of funds.