Lusaka, 04 December, 2023 / 12:00 pm (ACI Africa).
Officials of the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) have expressed concern about the growing disparity between Zambian workers’ wages and the prices of food in the country.
In their statement on Thursday, November 30, the Zambian scholars expressed regret that the wages received by formal and informal workers in the country fall way below what is reflected in their monthly Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) statements outlining the cost of living.
“JCTR underscores the disparity where wages for domestic workers (among other categories of formal and informal workers) persist below the benchmark set by the cost of food items in the BNNB,” they said.
Officials of the Jesuit entity underscored the need for employers in Zambia to adhere to the government-set minimum wage to help citizens deal with the rising cost of living in the country.
“Emphasizing the critical need for compliance, it is essential for employers to adhere to these adjustments. The increased incomes resulting from such compliance are imperative in aiding citizens to cope, albeit negligibly, with the escalating cost of living,” they said.
