PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya says the pain citizens will suffer in the short-term is foundation needed as government works towards building a much stable, sustainable and productive economy for everyone.

In an interview, Bwalya said President Hakainde Hichilema fully understood citizens’ anxiety regarding a possible increase in the cost of living arising from the turmoil around global oil prices.

“The President fully understands citizens’ apprehension and anxiety regarding the possible upsurge in the cost of living arising from the turmoil around global oil prices. We are acutely aware that any adverse changes in international oil prices will have a less than desirable effect on local fuel prices and consequently impact negatively on the welfare of our people. But we have to emphasize that the pain that we shall suffer in the short-term is the foundation we need as we work towards building a much stable, sustainable and productive economy for all, where the interests of the most vulnerable will be sufficiently protected,” Bwalya said.

“We are coming from a legacy where we were made to believe that expensive, debt driven subsidies would forever keep fuel prices low. But this was not only unsustainable, it was also hurting the government’s own ability to create jobs, provide education, health, social protection, and pensions to its people.”

He said the government had made bold decisions that were targeted at building long-term economic resilience.

“The new administration has made some bold decisions targeted at building long term economic resilience through job creation (as seen by the massive health and education sectors recruitment), skills development for the youth (as seen by the expansion of bursary support to over 5,000 students at the University of Zambia alone), and the expansion of social protection support to the most vulnerable. The new administration is continuing to actively pursue the utilization of country-to-country collaborations as a way of mitigating disruptive cycles in the supply and pricing of fuel in the medium to long term, and better protect the welfare of citizens,” said Bwalya.