DISCIPLINE is an unequivocal pre-requisite of success in any endeavor, including business.
It is discipline which makes one focus on what they embark on and remain determined to see it to a logical and positive conclusion.
When the Youth Empowerment Fund was established, Government had envisaged a vibrant youth sector, which has ridden on State resources to get out of poverty and hopelessness. However, years down the lane, it was not to be, all because of incessant failure by the youth to repay the loans from the revolving fund.
Whereas we have heard of few success stories somewhere, the statistics of defaulting are also alarming and seem to outweigh the successes.
In Chipata, Government has decried the failure by the youth in Eastern Province to pay back the loans, leading to the collapse of the scheme as others who should have benefited have been deprived by the defaulters.
As Chipata District Commissioner, Kalunga Zulu rightly observed the non-payment of the loans by some is disadvantaging others.
This is a serious setback because the number of defaulters, despite several reminders, is still high.
This is just one example of the poor culture of lacking focus and accountability when handling public resources.
Instead of the beneficiaries sticking to their approved business plans and observing meticulous implementation, some of them divert the money to something else which was not in the plan under the false hopes of realigning their business strategies and the results have been disastrous.
Before one knows it, they will be shocked with dwindling resources on their plate- borrowed for that matter-and the next option will be to bolt by relocating to the village or any other destination.
This is also common in the construction sector, where our local contractors have let down Zambians and more so the Government.
Evidently, the Government has applied all possible means to empower them through contracts, but they have lamentably failed to deliver as expected.
Quite often, we have seen many, including road contractors, failing to execute contracts, despite being paid an initial amount against the total contract sum.
Subsequently, we hear Government issuing warning to all contractors over shoddy works and indeed failure to complete the works.
With this sad scenario, perhaps Government should revise the strategy and invest more in capacity building and behavioural change that will beef up the quality and skills base for local entrepreneurs, with the help of some developed economies like China.
Nevertheless, there is need for increased discipline in handling public resources that the benefits can accrue to a larger majority in the country.  Comment