• HOME Affairs Minister Davies Mwila (right) speaks to Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming. This was when Mr Yang called on Mr Mwila at his office in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by CHUSA SICHONE

By DELPHINE ZULU –

GOVERNMENT says it will terminate all work permits dubiously obtained by expatriates.
Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila said Government would embark on serious investigations in all companies with expatriates to ensure that all those who obtained their work permits dubiously were terminated with immediate effect.
“I want to bring this to your attention that whilst you are bringing investment in the country I hope the investors will be able to follow the local laws that we have especially the labour laws,” Mr Mwila said.
Mr Mwila said this yesterday when Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Yang Youming paid a courtesy call on him at his office.
He said he had already issued instructions to the director general at Immigration to show him a list of all expatriates and companies working in Zambia especially those on the Copperbelt to ensure that the country had the right people.
“I have also issued instructions to immigration department that all work permit applications by any expatriates should pass through my office to ensure that we have the right people in the country because that is the cry from the Zambian people,” he said.
“As PF we have promised Zambians a lot of jobs so our people are very expectant and anxious to see that jobs are created so with those jobs coming we want to ensure that Zambians are given priority”.
The Minister also told investors to ensure that they bring along skilled labour and not employees with similar skills as Zambians.
He said he would not hesitate to withdraw any expatriate doing the work that locals could do because investors should prioritise offering jobs to locals as Government had promised to create more jobs.
“I am yet to meet the Indian Ambassador to Zambia also but was informed that he was out, to iron out Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) issues, we want to see more jobs being created for locals,” he said.
The Ambassador said his country would ensure that the concerns raised were addressed and was happy that Chinese investors had been guaranteed security.
Mr Youming assured Government that his country would help to create jobs and abide by the laws of Zambia because that was the best way of upholding peace and unity.
“As regards creating employment in Zambia, we wish to assure you that as investors come in Zambia we shall emphasise the need to create jobs for locals as was the case in most cases already,” Mr Youming said.