Council workers urged to improve work culture

Council workers urged to improve work culture

Chipata, June 24, ZANIS —–Local Government and Housing Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga has called on workers at Chipata Municipal Council to improve their work culture to win people’s confidence.

Dr Mulenga stated that the culture of reporting late for work would not be entertained in his ministry as doing so retarded development.

He said this when he addressed council workers at Chipata’s council chamber today.

Dr Mulenga noted that the Asian major economies which were once poor nations redeemed themselves through hard work adding that there was need as local authorities which were a component of government to embrace hard work to bring development to the area.

He named the countries as Brazil, China and Indian which he said were once poor nations but now had sound economies which most African countries admires.

Dr Mulenga said the local authorities  should consider contributing effectively to national development by employing competent and skilled personnel which should start serving people at 08;00 hours.

“Members of the general public are our masters and for the economy to grow we are not supposed to keep them for a long time to be attended to because doing so retards development, we should build a trust where we promptly serve them to enable them go about with their businesses,” he added.

Dr Mulenga also noted that Zambia would be an attractive investor destination once individually people improve to serve the country with a passion to redeem the nation from poverty.

He said the workers at the council should also compete favorably with other towns to provide quality services to make it attractive at country and regional level.

Dr Mulenga also said council workers should be truthful and respectful in conduct by prompt serving of the people making sure they were not kept for a long time to be attend to adding that management should also avoid having meeting during working hours because they hindered service delivery.

He said they should ensure meetings were held between 07:00 to 08:00 and also after 17:00 hours so that they do not disturb the service delivery to the general public who were the masters.

And the Permanent Secretary stated that his ministry would look at numerous problems faced by the council from late delayed salaries, long service bonuses and other operational problems to create a conducive working environment.

Dr Mulenga  has since urged management at the local authority to put in place committees involving representation from a sections to oversee loans, long services bonuses and allowances to avoid
allegations of favoritism.

He assured the workers that issues concerning salaries, retirement packages would be dealt with to reduce the debt burden.

He also advised management to avoid having preference when making payments to workers but that committees follow the sequences by serving the workers at the first come basis.

Dr Mulenga was responding to concerns by workers that management favoured themselves by paying them allowances for tours to Lusaka at the expense of junior management who were supposed to be paid  terminal benefits among other demands.

The workers also cited lack of safety clothing, delayed salaries and also not being considered to own plots and yet management in some instances gave themselves more than two plots.

Meanwhile, The Permanent Secretary said President Michael  Sata was not popular for removing subsidies on fuel and maize and yet the intention was to improve people’s living conditions.

He stated that the president’s decision was not easy saying his bold decision was to prepare the country for a good future and urged the people to embrace it.