Osborn counsels Zambians

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 12:05:55 +0000

By ROGERS KALERO

POLITICIANS and Zambians in general should desist from creating unnecessary tension in the country but use the peace that the nation was enjoying to set a firm foundation for economic recovery and national development, former Copperbelt show society chairman Bill Osborn has said.

Mr Osborn said instead of calling each other names, politicians should lead the way in promoting unity in diversity because peace once lost was difficult to restore as evidenced from  some countries which have experienced civil wars.

“Instead of calling each other names, politicians should debate on how they think Zambia could be made a  better place to live in and how people’s lives should be improved. The opposition should respect those in power, especially the republican President, because the presidency is not an individual but an institution,” Mr Osborn said.

He said the policies which the PF government had put in place were looking promising and so it would be fair for Zambians and opposition politicians to give the Government chance.

“As with the new policies and ideas which the PF government has put in place, they have to be given chance to work. Nothing happens overnight, so these new policies of economic recovery need some time to see how they will perform.

“The new policies look good for economic stability and growth. Going forward, we must not throw them aside before they are given chance to be fully implemented, he said.

And Mr Osborn has said the 75 percent increase in electricity tariffs will allow ZESCO to to raise enough money to invest in capital projects that would lead to increased power generation.

Mr Osborn said while the increase would adversely affect industry and the general population, the increment was inevitable for the survival of the energy sector.

The former Copperbelt Show Society chairman said for Zambia to attract investors in the energy sector, it needed to have economic tariffs.

“The increase of electricity tariffs will adversely affect a lot of people, but we are the cheapest here compared to other countries in the region. Therefore it is inevitable to increase tariffs. If you have economical tariffs, then you will attract investors in the energy sector.

“But if you have low tariffs, there will be low profits and low interest by investors in  the sector. ZESCO needs money to be able to invest in capital projects and increase power generation. The short term effects are biting, but the benefits are long term,” he said. Mr Osborn said effects of the increase in electricity tariffs would be felt very much because it was a ‘’big bang increase, saying it was better if the electricity utility company had started increasing in smaller amounts on regular basis.

“As I said earlier, the increase is inevitable, but the problem is the way they are doing it. They should have been doing it in smaller amounts on regular basis,” he said.