Maravi

Wealth divide worries Chipungu

Wealth divide worries Chipungu
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Monday April 07, 2008 [04:01]

THERE is a problem of wealth divide in the country, Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) Commissioner Dillion Chipungu has observed. Presenting a paper Cracking Citizens Economic Empowerment in Zambia at the regional meeting of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSESC) at New Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone last Friday, Chipungu said there was need for a total change of mindset and total transformation in the economy.

Chipungu said government has an obligation to reverse the imbalance that exists in the economy.

"We have a problem of the wealth divide in our country. It is an abnormal wealth divide as we are in the minority and could be dangerous for the country as it could cause a political problem," he said.

Chipungu said the reforms by the MMD in 1991 did not empower the Zambian citizens economically.

"The MMD government introduced the liberalization policy that brought in the privatization programme. The private sector is now driving the economic activities of the nation. Although it is clear that these economic reforms had an element of empowerment they did not bring about a meaningful participation of the Zambian citizens in the economic activities," he said.

Chipungu said most of the people in the country were not in formal employment and that labour was a resource which if not well utilised could be declared redundant.

"Empowerment is a fundamental human value that has been expressed in various political and economic ideologies through the history of mankind," he said.
Chipungu said the government has a moral obligation to re-dress the imbalances and inequalities that exist in Zambia.

"The second imperative thing is that there is a social issue. The wealth divide is a big problem in our country. It causes society ills such as poverty," he said.
According to Chipungu, Zambia needed to transform the educational sector in order to improve the skill levels of labour.

"Our country exports a number of raw materials that are processed in the developed countries and re-exported back to Zambia as finished goods at exorbitant prices. When we increase the skill levels of labour, we will be increasing value added activities and providing employment opportunities to our own people," said Chipungu.

Labels: CEEC, POVERTY

posted by MrK @ 4:02 AM