PRESS STATEMENT : HIGH COST OF LIVING CHALLENGING ZAMBIAN WORKERS
HIGH COST OF LIVING CHALLENGING ZAMBIAN WORKERS
HIGH COST OF LIVING CHALLENGING ZAMBIAN WORKERS
As Zambia celebrates Labour Day, today, May 1st, 2024, ActionAid Zambia wishes to appreciate workers across all sectors of production. The collective contribution of workers has played an essential role in promoting sustainable development in Zambia.
Regardless of their contribution to the development of the country, workers in Zambia are currently facing numerous challenges that hinder their full productivity such as the prevailing harsh economic situation compounded by increased hours of electricity load-shedding.
The high cost of living for most workers in Zambia is not commensurate with workers’ income hence creating a huge economic discrepancy even at household level. Most workers can no-longer afford basic food commodities and transport costs. This ultimately affects productivity at work.
Therefore, for economic recovery to be sustained in Zambia, there is need to continuously improve the welfare of the workers whose efforts are unmatched in the economic recovery agenda.
This year’s Labour Day theme is: “Building Resilience; Workers at the Heart of Zambia’s Economic Recovery.” This is indeed a timely theme and a true reflection as Zambia strives to economic recovery.
ActionAid understand that implementing reforms is a continuous process. There is need to priorities measures that can be implemented in the short term to lessen the high inflation effects on workers.
The wage increments need to be aligned with the high cost of living. It is illogical to have wage increments that are far nothing closer to the rate of inflation.
On the rise in the fuel pump price, ActionAid feels that while Zambia is implementing a market reflective fuel pricing system, there is need for the Government to expedite the various plans aimed at providing affordable fuel to the people.
For years, there has been discussions around exploring alternatives cheaper fuel sources unfortunately, these discussions have not yielded anything.
As a mitigation, we therefore recommend and urge the Government to explore a public transportation system that could be affordable for the majority Zambians especially those that cannot afford the private transport. We must retaliate that a struggling worker due to economic hardships cannot perform fully on his/her job.
Happy Labour Day, to all workers!
Jovina Nawenzake (Ms)
INTERIM COUNTRY DIRECTOR-ACTIONAID ZAMBIA