First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa says the reduction in inflation rate is a recipe for financial institutions to consider investing in communites.
The First Lady attributes to this to the good fiscal micro-economic policies put in
place that have started benefiting the people and expressed gratitude to what
government is doing in the macro-sector.
She however says women face the major challenges of accessing financial services.
The First Lady was speaking in Lusaka today when she addressed scores of mandevu
women who thronged her.
This happened soon after she launched the ‘Make Zambia Clean and Healthy Week’ in
Lusaka’s Mandevu Compound.
She urged women to meaningfully participate in the Make Zambia Clean and Healthy
Week which runs from November 1 to 7, 2007.
The First Lady hailed Barclays Bank Zambia which has sprung its operations in
communities like Chawama, Chilenje, Matero and Mtendere among other compounds
investing in peri urban communities in Lusaka in an effort to empowering vulnerable
women who seemingly carry the face of poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS.
She appealed to women to be bold, united and to speak with one voice if their
challenges were to be adequately addressed.
”Women continue to bare the most challenge of vulnerability. This New Deal
government is working because of the good economic policies put in place. As a woman
and speaking for women, we need more doors to be opened to women so that they could
stand on their own materially and financially,” Mrs Mwanawasa said.
Recently, Central Statistical Office Acting Director, Elfreda Chulu, announced a 0.3
percent reduction in inflation rate for the month of October, 2007 from 9.3 percent
to to a single digit, nine.
Ms. Chulu attributed the reduction in inflation to the decline in the cost of food
and non-food products.
Journalist, inflation is exactly that: decline in the (rate of the) cost of food and nonfood products. So the attribution has to be on increased production, stronger kwacha, or high interest rates, etc.
Secondly, aspects of fiscal policy being referred to are macro not micro. And then the interventions of govt being referred to second para are probably micro-empowerment stuff, etc.