Tue, 20 Jun 2017 13:45:45 +0000
By OSCAR MALIPENGA
APPRECIATE the relationship between fiscal policy pronouncements and the performance of the economy as you attend this workshop on Public Financial Management, First Deputy Speaker Catherine Namugala has urged Members of Parliament.
Mrs Namugala observed that one of the challenges that Zambia’s budgeting system faced was inability to mobilize resources.
The Deputy Speaker said this on Friday when she officially opened a training workshop for MPs with the support of the European Union under the Support to the National Assembly Project.
She said it was gratifying to see that resource mobilization was one of the topics that the workshop would cover.
Mrs Namugala said she was optimistic that the workshop would enhance MPs’ understanding of public financial management and unlock some of the technical aspects of it.
She said the workshop was important and timely as it was held at a time when MPs were preparing for the next legislative stage, that of the 2018 Budget.
She expressed hope that MPs would engage more with the Minister of Finance Felix Mutati about the revenue component of the Budget in the aftermath of the workshop.
Mrs Namugala said the theme of the 2017 Budget “Restoring Fiscal Fitness for Sustained Inclusive Growth and Development” indicated that all was not well with Zambia’s fiscal policy and that it was, therefore, critical for MPs to appreciate the relationship between fiscal policy pronouncements and the general performance of the economy.
She thanked the European Union (EU) for their continued support to the National Assembly over the years in the Parliamentary Reforms Agenda.
