Evaluate 2014 budget – Kashita

FORMER Minister of Transport and Communication Andrew Kashita has called on various stakeholders in the country to monitor and evaluate the 2014 national budget to ensure Government delivers on its programmes.
Mr Kashita said the stakeholders also need to ensure that they check the previous budget and the current to guarantee continuity.
He said in an interview in Lusaka recently, that the government’s programmes should not just be on paper but must be achievable.
“Some people have trouble reading and understanding the national budget. The easiest way to understand the budget is to get the previous and the current and see which programmes were accomplished as well as which have been continued.
The stakeholders need to evaluate and monitor the budget so that the government delivers on its promises,” he said.
On the threshold, he said the increase to K3,000 from K2,200 will enable the people have more money to spend and, in turn, improve the living standards of Zambians.
Meanwhile, he said the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) can improve its services by hiring more extension officers in various districts who will deal with the people on the ground directly.
Mr Kashita said increasing the number of officers will ensure timely delivery of maize by farmers.
He said the district commissioners also need to be the eyes of the FRA because they deal with the people directly and send reports to the head office on what is prevailing.
He said the Government needs held from other stakeholders as it cannot monitor alone what is happening in the country.
On tourism, he said there is need to encourage more Zambians to tour these tourist attractions.
Mr Kashita urged Zambians to change their mindset that only foreigners are tourists. Zambians should support tourism by taking the leading.