Caritas questions NCC allowances

Caritas questions NCC allowances
By Inonge Noyoo
Saturday December 15, 2007 [03:00]

CARITAS Zambia has questioned the awarding of hefty allowances to the National Constitution Conference delegates considering the country’s economic situation. Commenting on the delegates’ allowances, Caritas Zambia executive director Sam Mulafulafu stated that while it was appreciated that the members were going to be working, the allocation still raised a lot of questions considering Zambia’s economic situation.

Mulafulafu has since cautioned the government to be prudent in the manner in which it spends public resources.

He expressed concern that with such hefty allowances and the poverty prevailing in the country, the objectivity of the delegates would be marred.

Mulafulafu stated that the cumulative amount was therefore in excess of K100 billion and questioned why the delegates should be paid such colossal amounts.

“It is a shame that but now it has enough money to spoil those who are going to sit on the NCC,” he noted.

“Caritas Zambia which is part of the Oasis Forum raised this concern of hefty allowances from the beginning of this debate and the Zambia Episcopal Conference even suggested that bodies being represented under the NCC should meet at least half the costs of their delegates.”

The NCC delegates are entitled to a sitting allowance of K500,000 per sitting and subsistence allowance of K650,000 per day. They are also entitled to transport allowance of K100,000 per day and transport refund of K300,000 for those who reside outside Lusaka.