Economist Chibamba Kanyama says it would be logical for President Edgar Lungu to merge the Ministry of National Planning with the Ministry of Infrastructure as the two have overlapping roles.

Last week, President Lungu fired Lucky Mulusa from his position as Minister of National Development Planning, leaving a vacancy which has not yet been filled.

But in a statement shared on his Facebook page yesterday, Kanyama advised that it would be prudent to merge the two ministries in order to save costs.

“My advice as things stand is for the Ministries of National Planning and Infrastructure should merge. Under the current circumstances, one is a direct baby of the other. Much of the planning, from evidence, has to do with infrastructure development. The Ministry of Finance, on the other hand, has tactfully narrowed the mandate of National Planning. The two (Planning and Infrastructure), therefore, are better off being ‘Ministry of Planning and Infrastructure’,” Kanyama stated.

He observed that it was a chance to rationalize financial management and narrow the fiscal deficit.

“By the way, Infrastructure is more than just roads, schools, hospital but everything that defines systems, structures and processes. Just thinking since we have an opportunity to rationalize financial management and narrow the fiscal deficit,” stated Kanyama.