Maravi

Nkombo urges NGOs to check engagement of foreign investors

Nkombo urges NGOs to check engagement of foreign investors
By Florence Bupe
Wed 17 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT

MAZABUKA Central member of parliament Garry Nkombo has challenged civil society organisations to provide checks and balances for the government in the engagement of foreign investors.

Nkombo said civil society organisations should move away from being talk shops, but ensure that they engageg the government and monitored its relations with foreign investors.

“Civil society organisations should learn to engage government on the relationship they have with foreign investors,” he said.

Nkombo observed that local people were usually disadvantaged because the government offered incentives to foreign investors at the expense of local communities.

He said civil society organisations needed to make government accountable in critical areas such as the tax regime as this had a bearing on the well being and economic development of the nation.

“For instance, how much has civil society engaged, tried to make government understand that migration from one tax regime to another has an impact on poverty? Taxes in Zambia have remained high and the poor are the most affected,” he said.

Nkombo said civil society organisations needed to come up with a comprehensive position to the government and act as partners in development instead of taking a lay back position.

And Kanyama member of parliament Gerry Chanda observed that poverty levels in Zambia had continued to be high because of the culture of selfishness by some leaders.

“You can put in trillions of kwacha, no meaningful development will take place because of the culture of selfishness among some leaders,” said Chanda.

Labels: CIVIL SOCIETY, FDI, GARRY NKOMBO, NGOs

posted by MrK @ 3:20 PM