By JAMES KUNDA –

.Sampa

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) member Miles Sampa has hailed President Edgar Lungu for opting not to practice populist politics which are aimed at mere public appeasement.
Mr Sampa said the Head of State exhibited true leadership by taking harsh decisions such as permitting the removal of maize and fuel subsidies, to promote inclusive sustainable national growth.
“President Lungu has demonstrated that populist politics are no longer a suitable route to achieving inclusive growth,” Mr Sampa said.
“President Lungu swallowed a bitter pill for the benefit of many Zambians and this is commendable”.
He said this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, also in reference to the impending outlawing of street vending in the city’s central business district following the cholera outbreak.
Mr Sampa prodded the Government to create a sustainable database of the street vendors as institutions such as the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) were losing a lot of revenue due to untracked taxes.
This, he said, would enable the informal sector to contribute meaningfully to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said the Government’s drive towards attaining a green and diversified economy, moving away from mining dependence would be a key driver of the country’s growth this year.
Mr Sampa commended the Government’s growth initiatives being instituted through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), among other institutions and aimed at elevating the non-traditional exports’ sector, while maximizing on traditional exports.