Chisupa urges cooperation among C/belt media bodies
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Tue 12 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
INFORMATION permanent secretary Ngosa Chisupa has urged all media organisations on the Copperbelt to work closely with each other for the enhancement of information.
During a familiarisation tour of the Zambian News and Informational Services (ZANIS) and the state-owned but government-controlled Zambia Daily Mail in Ndola yesterday, Chisupa said the media played an important role in the growth of the country and that the media whether private or government owned should be used as a tool for development.
"Copperbelt is an important driving force for the country because of copper. We consider the media as part of the family and we need to closely work together whether private or government owned. The media plays an important role in the country because it informs, entertains and educates," he said.
"We will do our best to ensure that the workers in the media work in good conditions. As part of enhancement of information, we want to introduce monthly meetings where the media should be meeting to exchange views on the happenings in the country."
Chisupa challenged government media institutions to have collaborative meetings with private owned media institutions so that they could exchange ideas on the number of issues that were happening nation wide.
"Once a quarter the media should have a media forum to exchange views and discuss on what is happening in our country. As the media you need to interact socially. Interaction is something that you should have so that you can develop your skills," he said.
And Chisupa said for media institutions to deliver and produce good and objective stories, they needed to have advanced digital equipment.
"Having advanced digital equipment is key so that you are able to compete favourably with the rest of the world. We need technology. I am pleased to see the energy of the media here. You are hard working and I urge you all to continue because you are helping to develop the economy of the country with your stories," said Chisupa.
Labels: MEDIA, NGOSA CHISUPA
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Chisupa urges cooperation among C/belt media bodies
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Tue 12 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
INFORMATION permanent secretary Ngosa Chisupa has urged all media organisations on the Copperbelt to work closely with each other for the enhancement of information.
During a familiarisation tour of the Zambian News and Informational Services (ZANIS) and the state-owned but government-controlled Zambia Daily Mail in Ndola yesterday, Chisupa said the media played an important role in the growth of the country and that the media whether private or government owned should be used as a tool for development.
"Copperbelt is an important driving force for the country because of copper. We consider the media as part of the family and we need to closely work together whether private or government owned. The media plays an important role in the country because it informs, entertains and educates," he said.
"We will do our best to ensure that the workers in the media work in good conditions. As part of enhancement of information, we want to introduce monthly meetings where the media should be meeting to exchange views on the happenings in the country."
Chisupa challenged government media institutions to have collaborative meetings with private owned media institutions so that they could exchange ideas on the number of issues that were happening nation wide.
"Once a quarter the media should have a media forum to exchange views and discuss on what is happening in our country. As the media you need to interact socially. Interaction is something that you should have so that you can develop your skills," he said.
And Chisupa said for media institutions to deliver and produce good and objective stories, they needed to have advanced digital equipment.
"Having advanced digital equipment is key so that you are able to compete favourably with the rest of the world. We need technology. I am pleased to see the energy of the media here. You are hard working and I urge you all to continue because you are helping to develop the economy of the country with your stories," said Chisupa.
Labels: COPPERBELT PROVINCE, MEDIA, NGOSA CHISUPA
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Chisupa defends proposed labour Act amendments
By Jack Zimba
Sunday May 25, 2008 [04:00]
LABOUR and social security permanent secretary Ngosa Chisupa has insisted that the proposed amendments to the labour and industrial relations Act were not targeted at individuals. Appearing before the parliamentary committee on Economic Affairs and Labour, chaired by Kabwata PF member of parliament Given Lubinda on Friday, Chisupa explained that the only interest for the ministry of labour was on the eligibility of elected union leaders.
Chisupa, who appeared with his counterpart in charge of public service management division under Cabinet Office, Ignatius Kashoka and labour commissioner Noah Siasimuna, said the proposed law was merely meant to make trade union leaders accountable to their constituency.
“Our concern is with those positions that are electable and that these leaders are held accountable. If people are retired from service and you still need them in the union, then appoint them,” said Chisupa.
And Siasimuna said trade unions needed regulation and could not be left to have everything their way.
“Trade unions are pressure groups, they will strike, they will destroy property and they can even kill the manager if they are aggrieved. If you let trade unions have it the way they want to have it, then you cannot produce,” he said.
Siasimuna also accused unions of being less organised compared to the employers.
“The employers are a better organised lot than the workers’ unions,” said Siasimuna.
However, Lubinda asked Siasimuna not to use derogatory terms against other witnesses appearing before the committee.
“What we are interested in is to come up with a good law. Leave your politics out there,” said Lubinda.
The commissioner apologised for the remarks.
And Kashoka said the proposed law was not in conflict with the International Labour Organisation convention which provided the right of the employee to belong to a union of their choice.
He was responding to a question by Zambezi West UPND member of parliament Charles Kakoma, who expressed worry that the new law would be in conflict with the ILO convention that granted freedom of association to the workers.
And Lubinda wondered why the ministry of labour was proposing to give investigative powers to the labour commissioner, by allowing him to appoint an independent auditor to audit the accounts of unions, instead of handing such cases to already existing investigative wings such as the police.
“Why should one registrar have powers to appoint an auditor when other registrars in the same government do not have such powers. Don’t you think you are putting a mischief into the law?” he asked.
Kashoka explained that such powers would not be abused as the procedure to appoint auditors would be subjected to a tender procedure.
He also gave examples of other registrars in the government with similar powers.
Labels: LABOUR, NGOSA CHISUPA
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Govt warns exploitative employers
By Fridah Zinyama
Monday March 31, 2008 [04:00]
LABOUR ministry permanent secretary Ngosa Chisupa has said the ministry has had difficulties in carrying out its work due to the current weak labour laws in the country. In an interview, Chisupa said the Ministry of Labour will increase the penalties associated with flouting labour laws to ensure that employees are protected in the country.
"All those employers who flout labour laws by not keeping proper records, paying minimum wages, are going to be dealt with once the penalties are stiffened," he said.
Chisupa said the revised labour Act that was being tabled in Parliament would deal with all the pertinent issues like minimum wages.
"What people do not understand is that minimum wages vary according to different entry levels in a company," he said.
Chisupa said once the revised labour Act was adopted, some statutory instruments would be issued to deal with matters such as seasonal workers, temporary workers and casualisation.
"We will stiffen penalties against casualisation and casual employment to ensure that employers abide by the law," he said.
Chisupa said it was sad that most companies now preferred to employ workers on a casual basis to avoid paying them their retirement packages.
He also said Ministry of Labour would soon put in place a statutory instrument for the mining sector that is meant to protect workers.
There have been several complaints of increased casualisation in the mining sector as most of the mines use contractors to do most of their work.
Chisupa said the Ministry of Labour had so far met with the Mineworkers Union (MUZ) and Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) to discuss how best workers in the constructionindustry could be protected.
"The statutory instrument that is being worked on will ensure that non-unionised workers get not less than 80 per cent of whatever the unionised workers will get," he said. "This will help to reduce on the many incidences of minimum wages that have been on the increase in the mining sector."
Chisupa said the ministry was working on linking the wages in the mining sector to social security.
"All the stakeholders would be meeting in April to discuss the way forward on coming up with a statutory instrument that will ensure that workers from contracted companies get 80 per cent of the salary that unionised workers get," said Chisupa.
Labels: CASUALISATION, LABOUR, NGOSA CHISUPA, PERMANENT SECRETARIES
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