Dear editor,
THE cost of living in Zambia is a source of concern in that many people are living in abject poverty. The majority of the people can’t afford the basic necessities of life. The basic necessities of life include food, clothes and shelter.
Whether the person is working or not, the scenario is the same. The hard reality is that money is hard to come by nowadays. Even if someone has money, it will not be enough due to the high inflation prevailing in the country.
The trickle down effect of the high cost of living is that it has culminated in social vices such as criminal activities and illicit sex, among others. The youths are the major culprits who indulge in the above-mentioned vices in a bid to find money and use it to buy the basic needs.
It is unfortunate that the economic status of our country has worsened despite the fact that the United Party for National Development (UPND) promised to revamp the economy immediately after the party was voted into office.
Moving forward, there is need for political will from the new dawn administration in order to turnaround the economic fortunes of the country. The UPND Government should create more employment opportunities for the people. The Government should also empower the entrepreneurs with funds so that the latter can recapitalise their business enterprises.
The new dawn administration should also provide incentives to the entrepreneurs in the following sectors: agriculture, manufacturing, mining and tourism. These sectors, if properly harnessed, can lead to increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The increased Gross Domestic Product will ultimately lead to more revenue for the country. Otherwise, the people will continue to wallow in abject poverty due to the high cost of living prevailing in the country.
In my aforegone conclusion, the high cost of living in Zambia is indeed a source of concern and the Government should implement some measures to ameliorate the economic hardships people are going through.
ELEMIYA PHIRI Lusaka.
Author
