Maravi

Create jobs people want, Magande advises government

Create jobs people want, Magande advises government
By Allan Mulenga
Wed 04 July 2012, 13:23 CAT

NG'ANDU Magande says people are desperately looking for jobs which they will enjoy and not to work in the security forces.

Commenting on President Michael Sata's pronouncements that the government will embark on a continuous recruitment in the security forces as a way of creating employment for unemployed youths, Magande, the National Movement for Progress party president, said youths were queuing up for military recruitment because they did not have anything to do.

"Does he President Sata believe those thousands of young people who went there are looking to work in security forces? They are actually looking for jobs. They are not looking to work in security forces. Let him create jobs which people want. The people that went and queue up in Mpulungu where we lost so many of our women there, that is not part of the security. He says, 'I want permanent jobs', those people in Mpulungu were not looking for permanent jobs which will give them pension. They are looking for jobs that can give them money for today to buy food for their families," he said.

Magande, who is also former finance minister in the MMD government, doubted the feasibility of the proposed continuous military recruitment exercise.

"Those are blanket statements that are not supported by action. If they say they are going to have continuous military recruitment, what are these people going to do? In some countries during peace time the security forces like the Zambia Army they are made even to do other jobs like infrastructure development. Why doesn't he complete the statement? They are not going to beef up the Zambia Army just because people want to get jobs or employed; they must have something to be occupying them," he said.

Magande urged President Sata to be rational in his approach to governance.

"Every time he President Sata makes a statement and then you don't ask him for details because he has no opportunity. The man can't even hold a press conference so that you are able to ask him questions. During his inauguration, he said that 'national service was going to be turned into a civilian production unit'. What has he done about it? We are waiting to hear the measures that have been taken. Before that is elaborated, now he says 'security forces are going to be recruiting people continuously'. These statements are just coming, they are not followed up with actual plans and programmes of how it will be done," said Magande.

Labels: JOBS, NG'ANDU MAGANDE, UNEMPLOYMENT

posted by MrK @ 4:03 PM