Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) is shocked that there are no guidelines for disbursing the skills development fund almost two years since the levy was introduced.
The ZFE is also concerned by the revelation that the Ministry of Finance has not be transferring the skills levy to the Ministry of Higher Education because the first fund was misappropriated.
ZFE president Wesley Chikwanda Chishimba says the private sector finds these revelations that were recently made by Finance Permanent Secretary Mukuli Chikuba to be frustrating.
Speaking at a media briefing held in Lusaka Dr. Chishimba charged that it is unacceptable for government to introduce a levy before developing a clear road map on how to use the fund.
He states that it is now clear that the government did not mean well in introducing this levy as it now seems that it only wanted to come up with another mechanism of taxing the private sector.
Dr. Chishimba states that the ZFE does not think it is right for the government to enact a law for collecting levies and decide not to use it for its intended purpose.
He says the Federation is therefore calling upon government to be transparent and accountable in the utilization of the skills development fund.