……says eligible employees will be paid on the first come first serve Basis and payment will cover those who are serving, retired and deceased.
Lusaka… Wednesday, June 2, 2021.
Government through its treasury has released K200 million for salary arrears across the whole public Service.
Public Service Management Division (PSMD) Permanent Secretary Boniface Chimbwali said the process to dismantle the debt will take 6 months.
Speaking when he met different Unions, Mr Chimbwali said government remains committed to pay in all the arrears owed to civil servants.
He has since reminded the Resident Doctors Association to find amicable ways of airing out their grievances than putting people’s lives in danger.
Mr Chimbwali said there are other ways that the association can negotiate terms and conditions like engaging in dialogue.
“ There was no need for a go slow by Resident Doctors as there are other ways they could have used like dialogue. The go slow is unnessarry as it is only putting people’s lives in danger because government remains committed to ensuring that their grievances are heard,” he said.
And Mr Chimbwali said that the actions taken by the Residents Doctors are unjustified and have consequences according to the law.
He has also urged the doctors to form a union so that they can properly be represented.
“We want to embrace every government worker in a quest to improve the civil service,” he added.
He said it is important that the doctors are on board as government makes public service reforms.
Mr Chimbwali explained that Ministry of Health has been allocated K15.9 Million while the Ministry of General Education has been allocated K20.5 Million.
Mr Chimbwali clarified that the categories to be prioritized in the payment process will include the retired and the deceased and will be based on first come first save.
And Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga said government remains committed to attending to the unions grievances.
He also thanked them for the patience exhibited as government settles their issues.
Meanwhile, National Union of Public and Private Educators of Zambia -NUPPEZ- President Victor Muyumba thanked government for its positive response.
And Biomedical Union of Zambia BMUZ President Daniel Mwiimbe has appealed to government to exercise patience with the Resident Doctors.
He said government should continue being understanding when dealing with the Resident Doctors.
