Vice President George Kunda has disclosed that the huge investment that Government has pumped into various sectors of the economy has significantly helped to create employment in the country.
Mr. Kunda said investments in the agriculture, health, education and mining sectors have created thousands of jobs for Zambians.
Speaking when he officiated at this year’s Labour Day celebrations whose theme is “Creating Secure Employment with Freedom, Equity and Human Dignity” in Kitwe today, Mr. Kunda said Zambia was now a preferred investment destination because of its economic policies.
“Indeed Zambia is now a preferred destination for investment, this is contributing significantly to job creation,” he said.
ZANIS reports that he further said Government was undertaking massive infrastructure development in the Copperbelt Province which was also contributing to job creation in Zambia .
Mr. Kunda said in the education sector, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government was currently constructing high and basic schools in Lufwanyama, Mpongwe, Masaiti and Kitwe districts which have gobbled billions of Kwacha.
He explained that Government was constructing Lufwanyama and Mpongwe high schools at a cost of K23 billion each while Masaiti high school and Kamfinsa high school in Kitwe were costing K23 billion and K14 billion respectively.
In the health sector, the Vice President said Government was currently constructing Lufwanyama district hospital at a cost of K1.2 billion and upgrading Ndola-Kabushi health centre which had since gobbled K500 million
Mr. Kunda added that Masaiti district hospital was under construction at K1 billion while Ndeke mini-hospital in Kitwe had already consumed K500 million.
“Construction of Doctors’ houses and Nurses’ flats is in progress at Ndola Central Hospital , Kitwe Central Hospital and Arthur Davison Hospital ,” he said.
The Vice President, who is also Minister of Justice, further revealed that the construction of Doctors’ flats at Kitwe Central Hospital and Nchanga General hospitals was at K5.8 billion and K4.9 billion respectively.
Mr. Kunda said all these projects have created employment among Zambians.
“The MMD government is determined and committed to employment creation and uplifting of the standard of living and poverty reduction,” he stressed.
Mr Kunda said this year’s theme did not just highlight good labour management principles but was in line with the Sixth National Plan whose strategic focus was realising broad based pro-poor growth, employment creation and human development.
He said Government has put in place measures to ensure that citizens have access to secure and decent jobs that go with freedom and human dignity.
He said these measures include sensitisation of employers on the need to curb casualisation of labour in line with the current labour legislation.
The Vice President also called upon leaders at Provincial and District levels to denounce violence before during and after the tripartite elections.
Mr Kunda said for the country to develop there was need to maintain peace that people have lived to enjoy.
At the same event, Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima said the constant economic transformation taking place on the Copperbelt had helped to maintain a high employment level in the province.
Mr Mbulakulima said increased mining activities on the Copperbelt have seen employment levels to steadily remain high.
He said besides Government, the mining industry was the largest employer in the province and with the constant economic transformation taking place, the number of workers would continue to be the highest.
And Zambia Federation of Employers Representative Eugene Appel said the federation would endeavour to promote social dialogue among workers and was able to engage them and management to express their views.
Mr Appel said this engagement between employers and employees would lead to creation of sustainable enterprises which was a pre requisite of stable employment.
He called on workers from the public and private entities to seriously engage and exhaust every channel provided for in the process of social dialogue and not to wait for bargaining time.
Mr Appel noted that this would cement working relationships and understanding of business dynamics therefore avoiding confrontational engagement during the collective bargaining process.
He disclosed that during the first quarter of this year, the country recorded eight illegal strikes adding that this retarded national productivity.
Zambia Congress of Trade Unions first Deputy President Chrispin Munyukwa said it was in the public interest that the informal economy was not discriminated but a decisive move be taken to help transform the sector in wealth creation towards decent jobs.
Mr Munyukwa advised Government to set clear priorities and focus strategic action on employment promotion, poverty creation and skills development
He further said Government must address risks and uncertainty in informal economy given its strategic nature in development agenda.
On the political front, the union appealed to all political players in the country to embrace tenets of democracy by avoiding engaging themselves in war of words against each other at the expense of expending their energies on resolving problems facing the nation
He said the labour movement would not support an atmosphere of political violence and intolerance among political players in this year’s tripartite elections.
Mr Munyukwa said the labour fraternity would instead support and participate in various activities aimed at building peace justice and respect for human rights and dignity.
The speeches at the Diggers Rugby Club grounds were preceded by a match past and drive past by more than 30 Kitwe based companies and Government institutions.
Workers from Grizzly mining, Mopani Copper Mines, MOBA hotel, security firms, parastatal companies, the public and Government institutions among other organisations.
Vice President George Kunda who also presented some awards to deserving workers was accompanied to Kitwe by Community Development Deputy Minister Friday Malwa.
Grizzly mining workers received the best dressed employees’ award.
ZANIS
