August 2012 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Minimum Wage Dialogue and Implementation Key to Addressing Income Poverty and Unemployment in Zambia, Says JCTR

The recently announced minimum wage by Minister of Labour has created a huge debate among various stakeholders. According to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), ‘the new minimum wage is a welcome move in addressing income poverty among disadvantaged groups of people like domestic workers and shop keepers’.The cost of living as measured by the JCTR’s Basic Needs Basket (BNB) for the month of July 2012 for an average family of five living in Lusaka was K3, 445,660. This shows a marginal increase of K49, 340 from K3, 395, 660 in June 2012. The cost of basic food items increased from K767, 260 in June, 2012 to K783, 600. A marginal reduction in the essential non-food items of about 1% was observed from K2, 628,400 in June 2012 to K 2, 661,400 in July 2012. Further, there was a slight increase of K1, 800 in the cost of a 25kg Mealie Meal bag (Breakfast) from K40, 200 to K42, 000. Generally, the cost of essential non-food items such like accommodation and water remained stable.Irish Aid and Joint Country Programm