Plans to create more ministries shocking – JCTR

The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) says it’s shocking that a government that is in the process of addressing its deficit and expenditure wants to create more Ministries.

In a statement, the JCTR say the President’s creation of the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs at a time of economic hardship for example, important as religious issues may be, will unnecessarily stretch the already scarce resources of the Treasury which must be targeted at high growth sectors and reduction of poverty.

It says the formulation of this ministry comes at a time when Zambia is looking for a possible loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that must be used sustainably looking at the many expenditure saving conditions that are likely to be implemented along with it.

The JCTR says it views this ministry as an increase of expenditure that could be directed at economic sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing, and therefore appeals to the President to reconsider the ministry whose duties could be performed by an already existing ministry and officers.

It further, states that no clear justification has been given for this Ministry especially taking into consideration that the ministry will need to have structures up to ward level.

The JCTR has questioned the mandate for this ministry as it may also duplicate the work done by church mother bodies such as ZEC, CCZ and EFZ.

It has since urged the IMF that one of the conditionalities for the loan that the Government wants to get should be non-creation of new Ministries and not removal of subsidies.

The JCTR has also called on the Minister of Finance to act upon the Constitutional Court’s ruling for former Ministers to refund state salaries and allowances accrued during the time parliament was dissolved.

The JCTR has also appealed to the Constitutional Court to make the necessary issuance of the ruling that includes the amounts owing for each Minister and a relevant date of repayment before they begin the parliamentary sessions.

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