The National Treasury released last month released a sum of K5.64 billion to finance various developmental and public service delivery programmes in the country.
Of this amount, K1.07 billion went towards both domestic and external debt servicing, K2.2 billion was allocated to the public service wage bill, K1.1 billion was released for transfers, subsidies and social benefits while K819.2 million was for financing various government projects, programmes and general operations.
A further K437.6 million went to developmental programmes such as roads and rural electrification among others.
In line with the government’s fiscal sustainability and debt reduction implementation strategy, K1.07 billion was allocated for both domestic and external debt service.
According to a press statement made available to the media in Lusaka yesterday by Ministry of Finance Spokesperson Chileshe Kandeta the treasury also released K500 million towards dismantling outstanding pension dues.
Mr. Kandeta said ministries, provinces and other public service controlling agencies received K89 million for liquidation of outstanding liabilities related to consumption of goods and services.
He explained that in the month under review, a sum of K104.7 million was also released for the purchase of drugs in public health institutions and the fight against the COVID-19.
“Under general operations, the treasury released K819.1 million, notable among which were the following expenditure areas; K71.1 million for general operations of ministries, provinces and other public service controlling agencies while K33.1 million for the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice,” he said.
Mr. Kandeta disclosed that the Zambia Statistical Agency was given K21.4 million for 2020 census preparatory programmes under the Ministry of National Development Planning.
The Ministry of Higher Education was allocated K19.6 million for skills development fund while the Examinations Council of Zambia got K5 million for administration of examinations programme.
He said cooperating partners also released K193.3 million for donor supported programmes under various ministries, provinces and other public service controlling agencies.
The treasury further released K609 million towards transfers and subsidies.
He said out of this amount, K146.3 million went towards support for operations of grant aided institutions.
The Zambia Revenue Authority got K129.6 million, Local Government Equalization Fund (LGEF) was given K98.9 million and operations of public universities, K79.1 million.
To support scaling up of hospital operations countrywide, a total of K51.8 million was released in the month under review.
“Non-tax revenue collection agencies received K43.6 million under the Appropriation-In-Aid (AIA) mechanism, bringing the first quarter support to this initiative to K144.4 million.
Appropriation-In-Aid is an initiative devised by the Ministry of Finance for non-tax revenue collecting agencies to retain a part of the funds raised through fines, fees, and levies etcetera.
With regard to the agriculture sector, government released K59.6 million out of which the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) received K28 million for grain purchases under the strategic food reserve programme while K21.6 million went towards the 2019/2020 Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and the Food Security Pack Programme received K10 million.
During the month under review, the national treasury also released K437.6 million for capital development programmes for road infrastructure
Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba in his weekly consultative meetings with players in the economy requested for optimal utilization of work tools that the information and communication technology industry offers to ensure sustained productivity and the prudent utilization of time at work.
Mr. Kandeta added that in this regard, the Ministry of Finance confirmed that measures have been instituted to enhance surveillance and evaluation of economic fundamentals aimed at assessing the impact of unfolding events in the international economy due to COVID-19 on the domestic economy.
Hw does this become news? That’s the job of the Ministry of Finance. In fact real news would be failure to release money. Not worth further attention.
Well done government for releasing the money
According to a press statement made available to the media in Lusaka yesterday by Ministry of Finance Spokesperson Chileshe Kandeta the treasury also released K500 million towards dismantling outstanding pension dues.
it would be fair to give the the nation the total outstanding pension amount due, against what has been released so that pensioners are not made to celebrate when only a few will be cleared.
A very responsible progressive government ensuring debt servicing while at at the same continuing with developmental projects. To the silly blogger called nemwine, you ask why this is news. If such are not reported you say we hide things and are stealing. When we are transparent and report on what we see doing with tax payers money, you then say it is unnecessary to report. It seems you people from diaspora appear to be constantly menstruating.
Labbish
@ Kaiser Zulu *Id!ot !! Your brain is the one that is constantly menstruating*
It is good for transparency for govt to release such figures. In fact we could even benefit from more details as someone has suggested.
Does “service delivery ” include operations of councils ???
So while monies collected by markets are hijacked by PF for their operations instead of going to service delivery then they take tax payers money to use for the same service delivery ……..?????
Zambia is stuck in reverse……
My question too. That’s the routine operations of the Ministry and it is not news.
Kaizer
That’s not news. Those are routine operations. Check your neighbors how they report. They don’t report routine operations. It will be the same as telling us how many got imprest to travel for their work outside their stations. Those activities are routine