Ministry of Finance And National Planning Nearly K11 Billion For Service Delivery

Zambia's Ministry of Finance and National Planning has announced the disbursement of K10.9 billion in February 2023 to fund various public service delivery programs.

The funds were allocated to public service wage bills, debt service and other liabilities, transfers, subsidies and social benefits, general operations and program implementation, and capital expenditure for road infrastructure.

The Minister of Finance and National Planning emphasized the importance of financial governance and efficient public resource utilization in contributing to the economic transformation and improved well-being of Zambian citizens.

The K1.5 billion released for transfers and subsidies was distributed to various government ministries for operations, public hospitals, and grant-aided institutions.

 The Youth and Women Empowerment Funds under the Constituency Development Fund and the Social Cash Transfer Programme countrywide received K220.8 million and K209.9 million, respectively. Public universities, the Local Government Equalization Fund, and the Food Security Pack Programme were allocated K120.1 million, K111.6 million, and K108.0 million, respectively.

Furthermore, K573.5 million was spent on road infrastructure to ensure emergency road works, and K1.7 billion was released for general operations of government ministries, provinces, and agencies, with K436.7 million spent on medical supplies and equipment. K3.1 billion was allocated towards the payment of domestic and external debt, while K376.1 million was spent on dismantling arrears to suppliers of goods, services, and fuel. 

The Minister of Finance and National Planning emphasized the need for strengthened monitoring and evaluation processes and increased stakeholder engagement on treasury information briefs to encourage public participation in monitoring and evaluating developmental programs in their localities. The government is committed to reducing the country’s indebtedness while ensuring effective public service delivery. 

In conclusion, the allocation of funds for public service delivery programs in Zambia is a critical step towards economic transformation and improved well-being of Zambian citizens. It is crucial to ensure efficient utilization of public resources, strengthen monitoring and evaluation processes, and increase stakeholder engagement to encourage public participation in developmental programs' monitoring and evaluation.