Guards' wages shamefully low - Ng'andu

Guards' wages shamefully low - Ng'andu
By Fredrick Mwansa in Itezhi Tezhi
Fri 04 May 2012, 14:00 CAT

ITEZHI TEZHI district Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) chairman Chris Ng'andu says wages for security guards are shamefully low. Speaking in Itezhi Tezhi during Labour Day celebrations held at Itezhi Tezhi Basic School, Chris Ng'andu said wages for the security guards need to be revised to reflect living conditions in the country.

"Security officers are the first line of defence, the first responders and protectors of property and lives, but employers don't treat them like heroes," he says. "They pay them about K300,000 which is shameful and yet they are among the most important employees because they are among the first people taken out if there was an attack," Ng'andu said.

He appealed to security firms to reflect seriously on the wages they were paying their security officers.

Meanwhile, Ng'andu commended government for awarding rural hardship allowances to all workers in Itezhi Tezhi district.

He also urged government to fulfill the promise of create employment for youths in the country.

And Itezhi Tezhi district commissioner Roy Nan'galelwa said government was committed to implementing policies that would stimulate creation of employment for youths.

"Appropriate labour laws are being reviewed to improve conditions of service for workers as well as implementing policies that will stimulate investment which will create employment opportunities for youths," Nan'galelwa said.

He said that there was need for change in the work culture of public workers in order for government to achieve significant development.