‘Empty coffers’ talk shocks Ngulube
THE statement by President Hakainde Hichilema that the country’s coffers are empty was alarming and misleading, former Kabwe Central Member of Parliament Tutwa Ngulube has said.
Mr Ngulube said that it was not possible for a government to run on empty coffers and that the statement did not reflect the reality on the ground.
He said that the Bank of Zambia contradicted the president when it announced that the country has two to five months import cover.
He said that ZRA collected money and that it had the capacity to pay civil servants salaries in just two days of collecting taxes.
“If you look at Zambia Revenue Authority, just collections from Nakonde, Chirundu, Mwami, Kariba and Kasumbalesa in two days, just Monday and Tuesday they can pay salaries for civil servants countrywide,” he said.
He said organisations like the National Road Fund Agency and Road Development Agency (RDA) were depositing huge sums of money in the coffers making it impossible for government not to have any resources in reserves.
Mr Ngulube said that cooperating partners gave money to Government and that the money was still in the coffers.
He said such factors made it impossible for the government to operate without any money in the coffers and that the President was not being factual.
“Donor money which was given for various projects to be undertaken by the government was still safe in coffers and this I’m talking from personal experience,” Mr Ngulube said.