State Assures Ndola Stadium Workers

4 May 2011

As the Ndola stadium nears completion next month, some four months ahead of schedule, Government has assured workers constructing the multi-million dollar facility to hold their peace about their benefits.

Ndola District Commissioner, Joshua Mutisa made the assurance yesterday morning when he addressed the workers after they downed tools demanding to be paid their dues.

Mutisa told the Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company (AFECC) workers to resume work to allow the various Government departments including ministries of Sport, Communication, Finance, Energy, Works and Supply and Chinese officials hold their meeting today.

And as the workers expressed concern on who would pay them their dues after the departure of their employers AFECC following the completion of the contract, he said Government was not going anywhere and would handle the matter.

He said the labour stoppage, which saw workers abandon work to mass around the Ndola-Kitwe duo carriage way round-about lawn, a stone throwaway from the stadium, was unnecessary.

And as police, some in riot gear, kept vigil, and controlled traffic, Mutisa said he would give them a feedback after the meeting in Lusaka, and warned that another protest would not be tolerated.

He wondered why the workers, some of whom were carrying a placard demanding “information as the stadium is about to finish,” opted to stop work when he had been meeting their representatives to discuss their grievances.

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