TAMBATAMBA appreciates U.S. humanitarian support

By Ruth Chayinda

Labour and Social Security Minister, BRENDA TAMBATAMBA has thanked the United States government for maintaining on the payroll about 16, 000 workers implementing life-saving humanitarian programmes in Zambia.

Ms. TAMBATAMBA says the waiver on humanitarian assistance programmes is a sigh of relief; especially that government is making positive strides towards economic transformation through job creation.

She has also called on the United States to ensure that affected workers under the USAID programmes are not treated in discordance with the provisions of the Employment Code Act Number three of 2019.

Ms. TAMBATAMBA said this when U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, MICHAEL GONZALES paid a courtesy call at her office.

This is according to a statement availed to ZNBC News by Ministry of Labour and Social Security Principal Public Relations Officer MWAKA NDAWA.

And Labour Commissioner, GIVENS MUNTENGWA said during the 90-day period, some of the options to be considered include forced leave with basic pay to allow for the completeness of the review process.

Mr. MUNTENGWA said the placement of workers on forced leave without pay will not apply.

And Ambassador GONZALES said the situation was novel and it will be up to the implementing partner to decide on how they part with workers.

He assured the government that the workers under the USAID programmes would be paid and following the review, the Government will be communicated to if the programmes will continue or not.

The Trump Administration upon retaining power last month, ordered the shutdown of U.S. Agency for International Development -USAID- programmes worldwide effective.