By Charles Tembo
FINANCE minister Situmbeko Musokotwane says all the workers at Indeni Petroleum Refinery will be paid their money once the transition period of the company is put in place.
And energy minister Peter Kapala says te government has not neglected the workers at Indeni.
Meanwhile, chief government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda said misinformation about Indeni had caused a lot of panic.
Last year, the government placed Indeni on care and maintenance.
The trio addressed workers at Indeni in Ndola yesterday.
Dr Musokotwane said the government could not send people on the street without paying them.
“As government we have heard. And in few months as possible, we will pay all the workers. Once the Ministry of Energy and the board tell us that they are ready, we will then pay the workers,” said Dr Musokotwane. “We are sent by the President that we will settle all the money to the workers. Everyone will be paid. We can’t send people on the streets without pay. Money will be given to you. I can assure you with my mouth, my ears, that you will be paid. This is a government where we don’t want to tell you lies, you will be paid.”
Earlier, at the office of Copperbelt minister Elisha Matambo, Kapala said Indeni would take a different route.
“Our mission is to come and formerly know what government will do with Indeni and to also hear from Indeni what proposals they have to make it viable once again. The position of government is that Indeni will take a different route from what it is and I’m sure that once we meet with Indeni, then we go together,” he said. “I have been joined by the Minister of Finance to explain the issues of redundancy. Whether people will be paid off immediately or they will stay on because it will be a new mode. People will be transitioned from where they are to what we will make.”
Kapala said the government had taken the interest of the people so seriously over Indeni.
“This will be done very soon. So people should not be concerned that government is not taking their interests. That is why we are here. This visit will remove all the doubts that people have about Indeni,” said Kapala.
And Kasanda said no worker would lose employment at Indeni.
“I think the issue of misinformation is what has caused panic among the workers. So, I want to assure you that the workers are safe as no one will lose their employment,” said Kasanda.
Earlier, Indeni managing director David Lungu said the situation at the company was not certain from the time it was placed on care and maintenance.
Lungu said workers did not know what the implication of care and maintenance was all about.
“The situation is not certain of the forms of care and maintenance. We don’t know what this is all about. We need to move on. What are we going to do under care and maintenance with the skills we have here?” asked Lungu.
For his part, Matambo said the transition should not be resisted.
Meanwhile, Bwana Mkubwa Independent member of parliament Warren Mwambazi said he was happy that the government had not sold Indeni.
“The livelihood is based on this company. Indeni has not been sold and today we have the right position. I will ensure that our people are taken care of first,” said Mwambazi.