Maravi

Union leader urges govt to expedite NCZ privatisation

COMMENT - What uncorrupted union leader would call for the priviatisation of a company, which is certain to lead to joblosses at the company? Corruption.

Union leader urges govt to expedite NCZ privatisation
By Florence Bupe
Sun 31 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT

A trade unionist has called on the government to hasten the privatisation of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ).

In an interview, National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) president Seth Paradza said the government should allow the Egyptian company that has expressed interest in investing in the fertiliser manufacturing plant to go ahead if the plant has to survive.

Paradza charged that the government was dragging its feet on the privatisation process and warned that NCZ risked falling into deeper liabilities the longer it stayed under government hands.

“In our view, the Egyptian company has shown seriousness in investing in NCZ. We are disappointed that the Zambia Development Agency is saying they are still waiting for other proposals. There is really no need if the company that has expressed interest is viable,” he said.

Earlier this week, Egyptian Ambassador Salah El Sadek disclosed that a named Egyptian company who had come to assess the viability of NCZ was satisfied and willing to immediately take over the operations of the plant.
El Sadek said the company had already submitted a proposal to ZDA for the takeover of NCZ, but ZDA communications manager Margaret Chimanse said the agency is still receiving proposals from corporations interested in taking over NCZ.

And Paradza has disclosed that former NCZ workers are owed about K15 billion in retirement benefits for the period 2008 to date.
He said this figure is likely to go up if the privatisation process is not speeded up.

“In 2008, government came in to settle the K40 billion that was owed workers, but since 2008, about K15 billion has accumulated in unpaid benefits to former workers. There are also other statutory obligations that need to be taken care of,” said Paradza.

Labels: CORRUPTION, NCZ, NEOLIBERALISM, NUCIW, PRIVATISATION, SETH PARADZA, TRADE UNIONS

posted by MrK @ 4:14 PM