MUZ  President Chishimba Nkole

The Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has accused Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) of blackmailing Government and other stakeholders by threatening to cut 4,700 jobs owing to power supply restrictions by the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC).

MUZ president Nkole Chishimba said at a press briefing  that Government should intervene in the matter to save miners’ jobs at MCM.

“Unfortunately, workers seem to be an easy fix and victims of Mopani and CEC’s failure to negotiate the power supply agreement in good faith,” he said.

Mr Chishimba warned of serious consequences of the impasse between MCM and CEC on the Copperbelt, particularly in Kitwe and Mufulira.

He said MCM could save a lot if it cut jobs of expatriates rather than reducing the local workforce which desperately needs the jobs.

“MUZ is pleased that other mining companies have taken on board the increase in power tariffs by mitigating this cost using other options than cutting jobs,” Mr Chishimba said.

“Our memories are still fresh on the redundancies that were done by MCM in 2015 involving 4,300 workers. Therefore, the nation cannot afford to lose a further 4,700 jobs as this will push them into abject poverty,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Union for Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) has called on MCM to rescind its plans to scale down its operations, reports MELODY MUPETA in Kitwe.

NUMAW president James Chansa said at a press briefing that the labour movement will not allow retrenchment mineworkers when the price of copper on the international market is rising.

Mr Chansa called for dialogue between Mopani and CEC to find a lasting solution.

He also appealed to Government to step in the matter to prevent job losses.

And Zambia Chamber of Mines vice-president Matthew Banda said there is need to find ways of averting job losses at MCM.

Mr Banda said in an interview that MCM and CEC should resolve the matter amicably.
“The loss of jobs should not be the way to go,” he said.

On Tuesday, MCM public relations manager Nebert Mulenga said in a statement that it has become necessary for the mining company to curtail some areas of operation due to power supply restrictions.

“We are engaging the unions and other stakeholders to see how we can mitigate the effects of this unavoidable course of action,” he said.

Mr Mulenga said MCM has continued to negotiate with CEC and Zesco but that it is unable to maintain the workforce without sufficient power supply to its operations.

But CEC senior manager for corporate affairs Chama Nsabika said in a statement yesterday that MCM owes CEC US$23 million, reports MWILA NTAMBI.

Ms Nsabika said the escalated debt has made it impossible for CEC and Zesco to continue supplying MCM with full power especially that the mining firm has allegedly refused to pay the 2017 industry-wide tariff.

“Eight months after the implementation of the new tariff, outstanding amounts due from Mopani have escalated, making it unsustainable for both CEC and Zesco to continue supplying MCM with full power,” she said.

Ms Nsabika said with all other mining companies having agreed to pay the new tariff, MCM’s attitude poses a serious threat of undoing what has been achieved, and further risks taking the country back to a position where it cannot sustain its energy sector.

She wondered why MCM is threatening to offload workers when the load reduction has only affected the smelter while all other operations have not been affected.

“Conscious of the need to maintain human and plant safety, all requisite safety procedures have been observed throughout the restriction process,” Ms Nsabika said.

She said CEC remains committed to amicably resolving the matter with MCM for it to resume normal power supply to the mine.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

ZNUT Spokesperson Joe Kasaka

Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) has advised teachers across the country to forget about their salaries being increased.

ZNUT Spokesperson Joe Kasaka says the government  will not award any salary increment to teachers even this August and that he doesn’t even know when negotiations with government will start.

Mr  Kasaka, however, says  ZNUT supports the move by the government to split the University of Zambia into university colleges as this will promote efficiency.

He says this will make it easier for management to monitor the operations of the university colleges and avoid some of the common challenges at the institution.

Zambia has won accolades from the business community in Jordan for the impeccable governance credentials, which are necessary for the promotion of investment and commercial activities.

Expressing their sentiments through the Amman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Jordanian business community has requested the Zambian Mission in Turkey, which covers Jordan as a country of extra-accreditation, to facilitate business networking with the Zambia Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) to open avenues for trade and investment opportunities.

Making opening remarks at the Zambia-Jordan Investment Promotion Forum in the Jordanian capital, Amman, Wednesday, Amman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, first vice president Ghassan Kherfan said it was the desire of his members to network with their Zambian counterparts and explore business and investment opportunities for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

More than 30 members of the Amman Chamber of Commerce and Industry who attended the business forum were inspired by a presentation made by Chargé d’Affaires of Zambia in Turkey, Bwalya Nondo and First Secretary  Economic Cephas Silwamba, which highlighted various investment opportunities in Zambia, procedures and incentives.

The presentation was augmented with a video, which equally showcased investment opportunities in the country.

In his remarks, Mr Nondo told the business forum that Zambia is highly ranked as an investment destination of choice because of the country’s democratic tenets, which creates a favourable investment climate.

Mr Nondo said this was backed with necessary legal frameworks that guaranteed the protection and flourishing of businesses in the country.

He also said the Zambian market offered an opportunity for an investor to tap into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) market with a population of about 301 million people and a combined Gross Domestic Product of US$ 529 billion.

The Amman Chamber of Commerce and Industry dubbed Africa as a rising star that will in the near future define global economies.

“We are all looking to Africa and we want to network and create business synergies with Zambia across different sectors as one way of strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries,” Mr Kherfan said.

The objective of the investment forum was to showcase areas that are available for investment in Zambia to potential Jordanian investors and businessmen.

This was issued in a statement by the First Secretary for Presss Jerry Munthali at Zambian the Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, ANKARA, TURKEY

A team of Zambia Weights and Measures Agency inspectors carried out a random inspection at the named company’s manufacturing plant where 650 containers of 500 milliliters, 750 milliliters, 2 liters, 2.5 liters, 5 liters, 10 liters and 20 liters of the cooking oil were subjected to a test.

The sample consisted of 125 by 500 milliliters, 125 by 750 milliliters, 125 by 2 liters, 125 by 2.5 liters, 50 by 5 liters, 50 by 10 liters, and 50 by 20 liters.

The 650 containers of cooking oil all failed the inspection test as they were all under-filled.

This is contrary to the Weights and Measures Act CAP 403 of the Laws of Zambia.

The under-filled containers of cooking oil were seized and shall be taken to the Courts of Law to be disposed of.

The under-filling of the oil was attributed to the use of un-verified equipment such as automatic fillers which the Agency cautioned the owner about.

Agency Spokesman Mutale Chileshe said “going by the results of the inspection, the owner was issued with an order of restraint of sale for the remaining batches of the product.”

Mr Chileshe advised the owners to re-package all the cooking oil in the manufacturing plant before it can be released to the public for consumption.

He said the managers were also summoned to the Zambia Weights and Measures Agency Headquarters for a hearing.

“Members of the public are advised to be vigilant and report any suspicion of incorrect quantities of pre-packaged products sold on the Zambian market. You are advised to look out for a ZWMA sticker on weighing and measuring instruments such as scales in butcheries and bakeries and fuel dispensers are filling stations,” he said.

“Also ensure that the weighing or measuring device is at zero or you may be paying for something you did not buy.”

Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma has told journalists in Kasama that government will not allow Mopani to retrench any miner.

He says there is no justification for Mopani to start retrenching workers when the mines in the country are doing fine.

Mr Yaluma has wondered why Mopani is the only mining company refusing to accept to pay the new adjusted electricity tariffs by ZESCO and Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC).

He says it is unsustainable to continue subsidizing electricity supplied to mining companies.

The Mines Minister states that should Mopani Copper Mines insist on retrenching the workers, government action will be grave for the mining company to bear.

Ans the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has vehemently rejected threats by Mopani Copper Mines to cut 4,700 jobs.

MUZ president Chishimba Nkole has told a media briefing in Lusaka that Mopani should instead cut expatriate jobs.

He says the move by the mining firm appears to be premeditated and aimed at intimidating and blackmailing stakeholders.

Mr Chishimba says it’s unfortunate that workers now appear to BE an easy fix and victims of Mopani and CEC’s failure to negotiate the power supply agreement in good faith.

He has warned of the consequences of the impasse between MCM and CEC on the Copperbelt province, particularly in Kitwe and Mufulira.

Mr Chishimba states that memories are still fresh on redundancies that were made by Mopani in 2015 involving 4,300 workers.

He says the nation cannot afford to lose a further 4,700 mine workers as tHIS will push them into abject poverty.

The MUZ president who is also Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president has since called on government to intervene in the matter.

Chief government spokesperson Kampamba Mulenga said Government does not take pride in people losing jobs in any sector.

“Government rejoices when there are jobs being created for the people, “she said.

Ms Mulenga said in response to Chingola mayor Titus Tembo who informed her that miners are worried that they might lose their jobs when KCM embarks on outsourcing jobs.

Miners fear that they will lose their jobs following KCM’s proposal to start outsourcing jobs for the mining firm.

Meanwhile, Ms Mulenga has said President Lungu is committed to improving the roads in Chingola, and the country as a whole.

“This is the reason President Lungu came to Chingola to launch the C400 project in this mining town,” she said.

Earlier, Chingola district commissioner Mary Chibesa said works on road rehabilitation have started in Chingola.

“Two of the three contractors are on site and have started the works,” she said.

Minister of Finance Felix Mutati says road projects such as the Link Zambia 8000, Pave Zambia 2000, L-400 and C-400 will continue to ensure a proper road network that will attract investment.

Mr Mutati said Government wants to get back on track with its development plans in view of the economic gains the country has continued recording.

This is according to a statement issued by Ministry of Finance head of media and public relations Chileshe Kandeta yesterday.

“To improve the road network in the country, K8.6 billion has been set aside for building and repairing roads,” Mr Mutati said.

He said Government attaches great importance to the development of the road sector because of the role it plays in accelerating development.

Mr Mutati said Government will also undertake more road projects in collaboration with the private sector under the private private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

“To make it less expensive to build roads, Government will do more work with the private sector using the public private partnership model.

“For example, the Lusaka-Ndola and Ndola-Kasumbalesa roads will be upgraded to dual carriageways. The Kasomeno-Mwenda road which joins Zambia to the Democratic Republic of Congo will also be upgraded using PPP model,” Mr Mutati said.

He said undertaking road projects under the PPP arrangement is in line with Government’s policy of encouraging private businesses to supplement its efforts in taking development to all parts of the country.

Government is undertaking various road infrastructure projects countrywide which include the Chingola-Solwezi road, Solwezi-Kipushi road, Kitwe-Chingola dual carriageway, Lusaka-Chirundu road, Mpika-Chinsali road and Chinsali-Nakonde road.