June 2003 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Government Must Put Human Interest at the Centre of the Current Problem of Budget Overrun, Says JCTR

The people as a means and an end to development is where the current crisis of our situation of the national budget overrun lies,” says Muweme Muweme, Coordinator of the Social Conditions Research Project of the JCTR. Simply put, which way should government take? Starving its people for anticipated future economic redress or pay now what is justifiable in light of high cost of living? While on one hand future economic prosperity is critical, on the other hand to deny what is supposed to be paid as a wage sufficient to meet household needs is unjust and an antithesis to development. It is to arrive to the conclusion that government has no money, therefore let the employee suffer various forms of deprivation.The Basic Needs Basket, the JCTR monthly estimation of the cost of living for a family of six in Lusaka, has, despite recording reductions in the price of mealie, consistently shown serious difficulties that households are encountering in meeting their daily essential requirements. The total cost of the Basic Needs Basket for the month of June stands at K1,012,100. For May it stood at K1,028,650. The cost of food only is K365,400. In May food only was costing K376,950. The reduction in the cost of food only is on account of the lowering price of maize because of the adequate harvest the country is experiencing this year. Muweme further says that in calculating the total Basic Needs Basket, costs of transport, clothing, health, personal care, etc., are not included. If these costs were to be included, the cost of the Basic Needs Basket would certainly be higher than what is being presented.Irish Aid and Joint Country Programm