• Come up with measures that will keep the economy running amidst Covid- 19.
• Balance between having the economy on its wheels and the safety of the people.
• The pandemic has demonstrated that it has potential to wipe out every one.

The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has urged government to come up with measures that will keep the economy running amidst Covid- 19.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Society vice Board Chairperson Partner Siyabutuba says the government has to find a balance between having the economy on the wheels and the safety of the people.
Mr Siyabutuba added that the pandemic has demonstrated that it has potential to wipe out every one, looking at its death rate especially in European countries.
He further said it is important for government to ensure that preventive measures are put in place to stop the spread of the pandemic.
“The President was right because we can’t surrender to Covid-19 as a country; somehow we have to keep going amidst the challenges, what is very important is for government to demonstrate measures that will keep the economy running despite the high numbers of Covid-19 cases being recorded.,” he said.
And Mr Siyabutuba has advised government to invest in proper national social protection programs so that in an event that the Covid-19 pandemic situation gets worse, the country can lockdown and government should be able to provide for everyone.
He has also urged government to formulate a Covid-19 preparedness team that must look at how to provide broad based social protection services amidst the pandemic.
“And at the same time we must begin to invest in proper national social protection programs, so that in an event that the Covid-19 situation worsens the country will have to lock down and the government will be able to provide for the people while they are at home,” he said.
Yesterday, President Edgar Lungu announced that the country will not lock down the economy in a quest to fight the pandemic.