NCZ RETIREES STORM DC’S OFFICE FOR PAYMENT AS MANAGEMENT IS EVICTED

Retirees from the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ)  today stormed the District Commissioner’s Office demanding her intervention into the delay of paying by management to pay them  their benefits.

NCZ Retirees Chairperson, Chanda Chilondela, said government released K42 billion in August this year to NCZ out of which K17billion was meant to pay off retirees but management has not paid them anything.

Mr. Chilondela complained why management can not pay them off when government had released that money towards payment of retirees about two months ago.

He said management has only given them forms to sign in order to acknowledge the K1.5m the company had been paying them monthly as upkeep allowance but all the retirees have refused to sign them, alleging that management wants to deduct the allowance from their benefits.

Mr Chilondela stated that they never signed any agreement with management over the K1.5m and they considered it as an upkeep allowance to keep them going before they were paid their full benefits.

And Kafue Member of Parliament, Obvious Mwaliteta, addressed the retirees and told them that government has already shown its commitment to solving the problems at NCZ by releasing the K42 billion to the plant.

Mr.Mwaliteta said there was need for them to wait for Agriculture Minister, Emmanuel Chenda, who was currently in Korea with President Micheal Sata, for them to come and discuss together on how to find amicable solutions to their problem.

And later Mr Mwaliteta, who was accompanied by Kafue District Commissioner, Grace Ngulube went to NCZ Plant and told top management to vacate their offices and report to the Ministry of Agriculture following reports that management has failed to run the plant effectively.

Mr Mwaliteta said they had received many complaints from NCZ that management had started misusing the money that was recently released by government and that the money might not be used for its intended purposes of recapitalisation and payment of retirees.

Mr Mwalitete, who is also Western Province Minister, said it was unfortunate that few selfish individuals were trying to frustrate government‘s efforts of finding lasting solutions to the problems being faced at NCZ.

And Kafue DC, Grace Ngulube, said production of fertilizer at the plant should not be interrupted and urged union leaders to ensure that the production continues during this period when top management will not be in the office.

ZANIS