The Zambian Government is targeting to employ 30,000 public service workers by 2017 mainly in the key sectors of health and education.
This is contained in the 2014-2016 Medium Term Expenditure Framework released in Lusaka yesterday by Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba.
Government is also planning to rationalize public expenditure by ensuring that pre-paid billing systems are installed in all Government institutions for utilities such as electricity, water and telephone charges.
Government is further proposing to spend K 864.6 million for elections and voter registration over the three year period and K 1.9 billion for grants to Local Councils which includes allocations to the Local Government Equalisation Fund which will be established in 2015.
It also targets to set aside over K 810,321,330 in 2016 as allocation to the Electoral Commission of Zambia of which K 530,000 will go towards hosting of by elections and the 2016 general elections.
On road infrastructure development, Government is planning to spend K 12.7 billion over the medium term to accelerate road programmes under the Link Zambia 8,000 programmes as well as the Pave 2,000 programme.
Government also plans to spend K 140 million on the Public Service Microfinance Company over the same period while K 328.8 million has been set aside in 2015 for the recapitalization of State Owned Enterprises.
The state also proposes to spend K 382.0 million in 2015, K 354.1 million in 2016 and 2017 to reduce arrears owed to suppliers of goods and services.