Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba has refuted reports suggesting that the Patriotic Front government has scrapped-off the National Planning Division at the Ministry of Finance.
Mr. Yamba has clarified that what has change is only acronym of the name of the Ministry from previously being called the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to Ministry of Ministry of Finance, stating that the mandate of planning is still within the Ministry.
Mr. Yamba has also disclosed that the revision of the sixth National Development Plan which is being realigned in conformity to the PF manifesto is also being done by the Planning Division of the Ministry.
Last week,former Finance Minister called for the re-introduction of the National Planning Division at the Ministry of Finance to enable proper coordination of all sectors of the country’s economy.
Mr Magande observed that re-introduction of the National Planning Division at the Ministry of Finance will also address the issue of continued adhoc decisions being made under the Patriotic Front (PF) government where Ministers have continued making contradictory statements over an issue.
Mr. Magande also noted that dissolving of the National Planning Division at the Ministry of Finance by the PF government had taken the country twenty years backwards to the lost decades era that was characterized by total confusion due lack of proper policy direction and planning.
Mr. Magande expressed sadness that under the PF government the National Planning Division has been allegedly replaced by making of individual decisions by either a Minister or the President without keeping in mind the impact of implementing such decisions can have on the people.
Suddenly the uneducated dont feel the need to study. What will they envy? Shame
Countrymen, there was a reason why the Mwanawasa administration saw it fit to change the Ministry name from MoF to MoFNP. I emphasised the focus on that Division and even where the mandate remains the same, focus and prioritization of divisions within a Ministry changes and this can not be emphasised by than by the act of changing the name. Food for thought