Maravi

Mpelembe Drilling workers urge ZCCM-IH to take over operations

Mpelembe Drilling workers urge ZCCM-IH to take over operations
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Sun 28 Mar. 2010, 04:00 CAT

TROUBLED Mpelembe Drilling Company (MDC) workers in Luanshya have urged the government through Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM–Investment Holdings) to take over the running of the company.

The workers said this following the seizure of various property from MDC by court bailiffs over debts the firm owes various institutions.

“At the moment about 800 workers are not working, they have not been paid their salaries for months. This is why we want the government to allow ZCCM-Investment Holdings to take over the running of this company,” Mine Workers Union of Zambia MDC branch chairman Geoffrey Lishika said.

He said it was sad that the government had failed to quickly intervene in the problems the company was facing for some time now and workers had been reduced to destitutes.

“Almost everyone is not working, only a few workers who are based in Chingola are working. So right now (Friday) we are here in Lusaka to seek audience with commerce minister Felix Mutati over this problem,” Lishika said.

He complained that on a number of occasions, the workers had written to the government seeking its intervention in the matter but there had been no favourable response.

He hoped that the government would urgently intervene in the matter and help improve the situation at MDC.

“We are facing serious problems, our children cannot go to school, we cannot also afford a decent meal ... honestly how do you expect one to live like this?” he wondered.

Another worker who declined to be named for fear of victimisation said Luanshya member of parliament Simon Kachimba who is also deputy labour minister had done little to help the workers despite being fully aware of the problems.

“This man is not good, he was supposed to be in the forefront helping us, but he has completely ignored our plight, he is our member of parliament but he is too silent over our issue,” he complained.

For sometime now, MDC workers have been staging protests in Luanshya and Kitwe against the erratic payment of their salaries by management, among many other issues.

Labels: MPELEMBE DRILLING COMPANY, ZCCM-IH

posted by MrK @ 4:07 PM