REDUCE WAGE BILL

… reducing president and ministers’ wages alone not enough - Katele

GOVERNMENT should revise public policy to reduce public wage bill as the country embarks on economic recovery, former Finance Minister Katele Kalumba has said.

Dr Kalumba said the country had a huge public wage bill following the creation of new districts.

He said reduction of salaries for ministers and the President will not have an impact on the economy hence the need for a public policy to reduce the wage bill.

"The country has suffered economic setback due to covid-19 and there is need for a public policy that will see the reduction of public wage bill," Dr Kalumba said.

Dr Kalumba said there is need for Government to halt creation of new districts to reduce the national wage bill.

"We must engage the public in debating the impact of the national wage bill across the board particularly the creation of new district," Dr Kalumba said.

He said there is need for the country to make a bold decision to resuscitate the declining economic indicators.

Dr Kalumba said the cost of state wage bill was high and must be reduced to have an impacted on the economy.

"Government should take certain bold steps such as halting creation of districts and the implementation of new districts," he said.

Dr Kalumba said through public policy the country can decide to reduce salaries for Corporate Chief executive officers, Ministers and Members of Parliaments and workers in general so that the country GDP can grow.

He said the country's national wage bill was too high and can only have an impact if reduced through public policy.

And Dr Kalumba said the country needed the church’s moral guidance than their involvement in politics.

Dr Kalumba said it was unfortunate that clergymen are using the pulpit to insult and preach hatred and violence.

‘’Moral guidance does not entail involving yourselves in politics, right now the country needs spiritual direction rather than your engagement in politics , we need our soul to be ministered to,” he said.

Dr Kalumba said the church should leave politics to the politicians that are good at them.

‘Leave the politics to politicians , we are aware the church has the right to give statements on national issues especially when people are suffering but use the right channels to consult the government of the day by feeding into the policy making processes , ‘’he said .

Dr Kalumba also advised politicians to be sober in the manner in which they do their politics.