A labour unionist in Mwinilunga district of Northwestern province has appealed to Finance Bank to hastily repair its network system which stopped working after being struck by lightning.
The dysfunctioning system has caused civil servants in the district not to access their November salaries.
Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) Mwinilunga branch Chairman Paul Chitanti said the situation was worrying and need urgent attention.
Mr. Chitanti explained to Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in an interview that lighting struck the bank network system resulting in the financial institution failing to feed salaries into civil servants’ accounts.
He expressed sadness that teachers, nurses and other civil servants from from far flung areas of the district, were stranded in town because they could not withdraw money and return to their homes.
He said most of the civil servants have no money to continue lodging in the district as they wait for the system to be restored.
Mr. Chitanti wondered why the bank had no backup system that would restore the system immediately so those customers are not inconvenienced.
He feared that pupils and patients in rural parts of the district would suffer the most because teachers and nurses are in town waiting to get their salaries.
He has since appealed to government to intervene and ensure that civil servants get their dues and report back to their respective stations as soon as possible.
Mr. Chitanti further urged government to solicit for more banks to open branches in Mwinilunga district to avoid inconveniencing civil servants.
He said operations of government departments would be affected if the matter was not resolved urgently.
A group of civil servants were found roaming around the bank premises hopping the system would be restored soon.
ZANIS
Thats the effect of beer drinking in zambia, The Finance bank IT manager and his team spend most of their free time drinking, what do you expect?
Instead of just complaining move your accounts to other banks.
Finance bank has a responsibility to offer proper banking and other financial services to their customers, but have lamentably failed.
leave them and go where you the people that put food on their tables will be appreciated
there is only one bank in Mwinilunga..Civil servants have no option.
This is the most useless comment 49 years after Independence
Iwe koswe whats wrong with drinking in yo free times. Does drinking bring lightening iwe nkusa?
Its possible the MOF has not remitted the money/salaries coz of elections in Mansa ?????
Yea they have lamentably failed it has taken 8 months for me to get just an ATM
Too bad! That’s why we ran from rural areas to find better options in town . Give them competition please!
Havent accessed their November salaries?Dont worry the month is not yet over will pay you on Monday,maybe you wanted to drink over the weekend mwajama,
It is because of HH
naku mpika same
Lightening struck the bank network system. Is it not the Bembas (my mbuyas) wanted to steal the cash thru lightening. These people have latest technology, they can do it. I understand they imported it from DRC
Problem is that IT and communication networks, which are what Zambia needs urgently, are beyond the brains of our leaders. The only thing they are busy wasting money on is road building. I am sure rural areas would become much more attractive if they were connected to data networks. Banks and other businesses would start moving in and developing these areas. Instead of relying on private investors, the government should treat ICT networks with the same seriousness they treat road building. It would be much easier to have a network of post offices in rural areas, each connected to the internet backbone. The Post Office can the become the focus of each area, offering all sorts of services, including banking. In due course this would attract private investment. Rwanda is doing just this!
Three countries in sub-Sahara Africa which have started attracting huge investment in ICT are Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya. Rwanda’s record here is particularly impressive. Their government has prioritised developing a knowledge based economy above anything else. At the centre of their development plan is connecting the whole of Rwanda to the internet. In the meantime, Zambia’s political space is occupied by semi-illiterate people who cannot appreciate the importance of science and technology. People who can only appreciate the physical, i.e. roads. Even corrupt Nigeria has started putting satellites in space!