Shamenda orders reinstatement of Union

Government has ordered management at U-rest Form Limited in Ndola to reinstate the workers’ union with immediate effect.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Fackson Shamenda gave the directive when he visited U-rest Form Company in Ndola yesterday.

Mr Shamenda said individual members cannot make a decision to stop contributing to the Union but that this should be agreed upon with the mother body of the workers representatives.

Mr Shamenda said government was interested in the productivity of companies so that enough revenue could be raised by the Zambia Revenue Authority .

The Labour minister said if companies failed to remit taxes to ZRA government would lose out on revenue hence the need to ensure that there is production in companies.

Meanwhile, Government plans to de-gazette land near the forestry area in Ndola to allow for the expansion of the city.

Minister of Labour and social Security Fackson Shamenda disclosed this when he addressed residents of Dora Hills in Ndola central constituency yesterday.

Mr Shamenda who is also Ndola Central Constituency PF Member of Parliament said the people in his area will be given priority to acquire residential plots once the forest land is de-gazzetted.

Mr Shamenda said about 60 percent of the plots would be given to his constituency adding that he was not discriminating against anybody but pointed out that priority should be given to residents in Ndola central constituency.

He said over 200 residential plots would given by the council adding that ZAFFICO employees should not be left out.

He explained that people that bought houses at Dora hills were former ZAFFICO employees but pointed out that current ZAFFICO employees had not benefited from the sale of institutional houses hence the need for them to be considered for residential plots.

Mr Shamenda also paid tribute to the residents of Dora hill for helping to put Patriotic Front (PF) into power during the 2011 tripartite elections.

He noted that without their votes PF would not be in power today adding that this was the reason President Michael Sata was committed to taking development to all parts of the country.
He said President Sata’s leadership does not discriminate against any one because he is a listening president.

At the same function, Ndola district chairperson George Chisulo said the former ruling party MMD was just promising them houses until PF which he described as a people’s party came into power and heard their plight by giving them houses.

Mr Chisulo said this when he welcomed MMD members who defected to the ruling party and asked PF members to work with them.

He said development was taking place in all parts of the country because President Sata loves all Zambians.

ZANIS