K5.7 billion released for service delivery
THE Ministry of Finance released K5.7 billion to finance and facilitate public service delivery in various Ministries in the month of January, Provinces and Other Controlling Agencies, says Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe.
Ms Mwanakatwe said in order to facilitate effective debt management and ensure fiscal sustainability, the Government released a sum of K2.5 billion towards the payment of both domestic and external debt.
The minister reiterated her assurance that the Government would continue to honour its obligations and ensure that debt default scenarios do not arise at all.
This is contained in a statement issued by Ministry spokesperson Chileshe Kandeta.
Ms Mwanakatwe said K5.7 billion, K713.8 million went towards support to institutions,
K116.4 million was released to support the operations of other public entities and quasi-government institutions.
subsidies and general operations; out of which also, K159.3 million went towards supporting the activities and operations of various central government institutions.
She said Public Health Institutions under the Ministry of Health got K50 million for procurement of drugs and other medical supplies from the funds targeted at supporting the activities and operations of various central government institutions.
Ms. Mwanakatwe said on the Public Service Wage Bill, instructed the Accountant General and the Controller of Internal Audit to collaborate with Cabinet Office and other relevant institutions to ensure that the entire payroll is cleaned-up and ghost and absentee workers, if any, removed promptly, adding that, “we only need to pay deserving workers.”
She said K116.4 million was released to support the operations of other public entities and quasi-government institutions. An additional K89.9 million was released to support the operations of local authorities across the country through the Local Government Equalisation Fund, while K22.3 million went towards various pension related matters under the Public Service Pensions Fund.
The minister said the Zambia Revenue Authority was funded K69.9 million during the month under review to continue with the effective mobilisation of domestic revenues.