Non registration of mine workers worry NAPSA

The National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) has bemoaned the non-registration of workers by some contractors engaged by mining companies.

NAPSA Manager North, Mushoke Namiluko said mine contractors have a tendency of evading contributions through non- registration of their workers with NAPSA

Speaking to journalists in Kitwe yesterday on the sidelines of a stakeholders meeting between NAPSA and Mining Companies from Copperbelt and North-Western Province, Mr. Namiluko said his organization decided to hold an interactive meeting with Mining companies so that they can help it capture unregistered workers that are employed by mine contractors.

“We have target mining companies for this meeting because we have a challenge with contractors engaged by mining companies, some of them do not make contributions while others register some of their workers leaving out some, so we want the mining companies to help us sensitise their contractors on the need to register all the workers with NAPSA,” He said.

Mr. Namiluko also noted that most mining companies were compliant with NAPSA contributions standing at 80 per cent compliance level.

And Mr. Namiluko has commended government for consistently paying its NAPSA contributions on time.

He stated that government is the leading contributor followed by mining companies which he said is making the operations of NAPSA effective.

Earlier NAPSA Head Benefits Nobby Simutenda warned mining companies against employing people that have been discharged by other organizations on medical grounds.

Mr. Simutenda said it was not right to employ such people regardless of their expertise because it is a health risky for the employees.

He explained that NAPSA has since signed a memorandum of Understanding with 12 government hospitals that will be examining employees discharged on medical grounds before they can be deemed eligible for NAPSA benefits.

He said Kitwe Teaching Hospital has been picked on the Copperbelt to be examining medically discharged employees on behalf of NAPSA.

And Mr. Simutenda cited challenges such as non-payment of contributions, underpayment of contributions, incomplete member registration and posthumous registration among others.

He appealed to mining companies and contractors to ensure that they improve on their contributions to enable NAPSA meet its obligations to workers.