NAREP launches Twenty Percent Generation platform to fight poverty

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 11:24:32 +0000

By CHIKUMBI KATEBE

THE National Restoration Party (NAREP) has called on Zambians to think beyond partisan politics and support its Twenty Percent Generation platform.

Party president Elias Chipimo Jnr said under TPG Parliament would come up with a law that would compel all Government institutions, including the private sector to provide 20 percent of their primary goods and service contracts to ordinary Zambians, including jobs.

He said the TPG would guarantee local contracts for ordinary Zambians based on their ability to provide goods and services at all levels of the economy including the private sector.

He was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during the launch of the NAREP vision to improve national economy through the TPG platform aimed at creating skills, entrepreneurship and prosperity for the people.

He said this would create specialized and target training aimed at filling up 20 percent of all locally based companies and industries, including the financial sector.

The NAREP leader said this would also implore Government to allocate adequate funding in the national budget aimed at empowering 20 percent of its beneficiaries to provide the required numbers.

He explained that all companies that already supplied goods and services to the Government would be required to adopt a similar 20 percent procurement policy to continue their business.

He has since invited all Zambians to explore the expectations of the initiative to build business revenue as well as expand the Government tax base through company profiling in the exercise.

He has called on all well-meaning Zambians to take up the challenge and study its benefits and has called for open debates by all stakeholders to help build knowledge and add value to the NAREP proposal.

Mr Chipimo implored Zambians to take interest and avoid partisan politics in development programmes meant to improve their standard of living.

He said with high unemployment levels, marginalization of women and youths and other vulnerable groups, the platform would be very helpful to enrich the local population by creating small and medium businesses that would also contribute to increased tax revenue base.

“We believe that unemployment, marginalization of our women and youth, and the lack of support for all vulnerable groups can be adequately addressed through such a platform,

“This vision includes all generations, young and old and all citizens, rural or urban based.  The aim of TPG is to make every Zambian prosperous by creating an abundance of entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses that will contribute to taxes and economic growth,” he said.

He was speaking at the NAREP secretariat in Lusaka where he said politicians must begin to think beyond partisan boundaries to create sustainable development and empower the people.