Friday, March 29, 2024

Minister threatens to recommend lazy workers for retirement

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Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga
Central Province Minister Sydney Mushanga

Central Province Minister, Sydney Mushanga, is disappointed with the work culture of some public service workers in Chibombo district in Central Province.

Mr. Mushanga has therefore warned that he may recommend to the Public Service Management Division (PSMD) for retirement on national interest all civil servants in Chibombo who will not improve their work culture immediately.

He has since directed the District Commissioner, Barnabas Masupelo, to start supervising the civil servants.

The minister warned Mr. Masupelo that he could be fired if he fails to supervise civil servants in his district.

The visibly annoyed minister, who visited the district yesterday, was disappointed to find that many senior officers did not report for work by 08:30 hours and only a few office assistants were around by that time.

By 09:00 hours, the minister found all Immigration and Forestry Officers absent while offices of the Department of Water Resource Development were still locked.

Mr. Mushanga was mostly displeased at the office of the District Education Board’s Secretary where he found all senior officers absent with only the Assistant Human Resource Officer at work.

The Assistant Human Resource Officer informed Mr. Mushanga that the senior officers were attending a workshop outside the district.

During the same visit, Mr. Mushanga, who was accompanied by other government officials, discovered piles of medical and clinical materials which had since expired.

Health personnel failed to explain why they could not distribute the medicines and clinical materials to health centres.

Among the items he found piled were gloves, syringes, needles and chlorine most of which expired as far back as 2015.

Mr. Mushanga explained that government was accused of not supplying necessary requirements to hospitals and health centres and yet irresponsible officers were keeping them for no apparent reason.

He also pointed out that government has lost credibility in the eyes of the public because of irresponsible officers who wanted to tarnish its name.

“The same officers are paid huge sums of money at the end of the month and are busy fighting for improved salaries and conditions of service. How can you justify your demands and yet you are providing these poor services?” he asked.

Acting District Medical Officer, Hendrix Yona, was almost tongue-tied to explain the situation as he was only new in the office while the incumbent was reportedly at school.

However, Dr. Yona promised the minister that he was going to correct the situation.

8 COMMENTS

    • This is a good move but better you fire them so that others learn.
      On officers not being in their offices I believe the govt is surely to blame as they have allowed this workshop culture whereby we have officers attending workshops even 6 times a year with some taking as long as 2 weeks or longer. Just so some fat lazy govt officer can eat chicken and rice curry and receive a ka allowance, what they learn at these workshops they even fail to implement.

  1. Retirement is the best. Honestly who can enjoy working under pf government. Its unfortunate there’s no opposition in Zambia

    • It is the PF Government that has made working in the Civil Service an envy of most people. However, the lazy culture of Zambians is the problem. If the Minister went back to Chibombo tomorrow, he will find the same situation.

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