The National Democratic Congress has urged Government not to allow mining firms to effect job cuts in the extractive industry.
Party Acting spokesperson Misheck Moyo said revelations that mining firms on the Copper belt and North Western provinces intend to cut jobs are uncalled for.
Mr. Moyo has appealed to Government to convene an urgent tripartite meeting with stakeholders to discuss perceived challenges mines might be facing and should bring on board mining firms, unions and Government.
He has proposed that experts from both the Ministries of Finance and Mines should attend the said meeting.
“As NDC, we feel the reasons advanced by mining firms to trim labour in the wake of proposed changes in the tax regime are extremely trivial. We are of the view that mining firms merely want to blackmail Government not to effect the proposed tax changes”, Mr. Moyo said.
He has said that Mining firms are being irrational and grossly unfair in their approach adding that the NDC supports the proposed tax changes in the mining sector.
Mr. Moyo said Tax adjustments in the mining sector will enable Government raise more money for development projects as the current tax regime in the mining sector has gravely disadvantaged Zambians.
And Mr. Moyo has implored mining firms that are experiencing operational problems to consider leaving the country and immediately hand over the mines to serious investors.
He said government must consider effecting radical measures that may include taking over mines that are claiming to be experiencing challenges.
“As NDC, we stand together with our colleagues working in the mining sector, we shall not allow any job losses at any mine. We shall speak for the voiceless miners and ensure that their jobs are protected and secured”, He added.
Mr. Moyo said the Ministry of Labour should closely monitor the happenings in mining firms in the wake of looming job cuts and increase its share holding stake in mining firms through ZCCM-IH.
He said ZCCM-IH has the capacity to take over and run ailing mining firms.
Mr. Moyo said it is a pity that some mining firms operating in the country are extremely selfish and such firms will do anything possible not to share their profits with the people of Zambia.
Yes we are forging ahead with sales tax.
We wouldnt be in this mess in the first place if Chiluba and Hakainde didn’t steal from the mines Privatization process of the 1990s. All they needed to do was an honest evaluation and privatization deal.
But why selfishly take $7 milllion to an account in Pananma, forgetting about your own people?
Akainde ask for forgiveness from the Zambian miners.
That heading is retarded, if am not able to make sense of it, then it’s bad sentence.
NDC sounds like old PF.
UPND sounds like they are on mining companies side. We never hear UPND dissagreeing with mines.
“Mr. Moyo said it is a pity that some mining firms operating in the country are extremely selfish and such firms will do anything possible not to share their profits with the people of Zambia.”
That’s what we need from the opposition. However Zambian Witch Doctor will label him a PF compromised cadre. Akainde opposes even whats good for Zambians, look at the way he instructed his voters to reject the referendum on an Enhanced Bill of Rights.
Sunday Chanda alias kudos, please sit down
No need to hold a tripartite indaba. Zambia just has to hold firm with its demand for a fair share of taxes from these monsters.
These mines don’t listen no matter how gently you talk to them. All they do is turn the indaba occasion into a session for peddling more and more lies to explain why they shouldn’t pay taxes. Teti umuwine umusungu mu chisungu.
It should irk every Zambian that more than half the collected taxes goes to refund VAT, with the mines being the prime beneficiaries.
I say it again: Enough is enough. Tiyende Pamodzi on this one, regardless of our political persuasions.
If the business can not support unnecessary work force, let them prune.
The trouble in Zambia is that people think they are entitled to jobs. It does not work like that at all.
This PF government has to do a lot more to create jobs, and facilitate an environment that supports growth of these jobs.
It is the ordinary citizens that are suffering while Lungu keeps promising more jobs that never materialises.
I wonder why they always want to retrench Zambians leaving the expatriates whose salary each gets more than 10 times a Zambian worker gets.
What about mwamona investment.
How many workers are still on pay role
This boy is just yapping politics of Sata
Open your own mines so that you receive the excess baggage of employees who have already started receiving their letters!
Mining is not Charity business!
Kalumbila will soon be like Luanshya – a ghost town!
What a shame!
Happy Xmas and Miserable 2019!