. Lungu

By SYLVESTER MWALE –
THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has commended President Edgar Lungu for his intervention in the negotiations over the debt write off by commercial banks involving loans obtained by retrenched miners.
MUZ general secretary Joseph Chewe said well-meaning miners should appreciate the Head of State for the gesture and ensure that the money was invested in economically viable activities.
Many of the retrenched miners at Mopani Copper mines were left with almost nothing after their retrenchment packages were withheld by banks to recover the loans they acquired.
Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public relations Amos Chanda revealed during the Muvi’s Assignment programme on Sunday that two banks had agreed to write off the debt following the
intervention by Mr Lungu.
“I don’t have full details at the moment, although am aware that the negotiations were going on to ask the banks to write off the debt.
“Therefore, it is good news to hear that two banks have agreed to write off the debt for the miners and it is important that all well-meaning miners have responsibility to appreciate the President,” he said.
He said the decision to write off the debt could go a long way in ensuring that the impact of job losses on the miners on the Copperbelt was cushioned.
Mr Chewe also appealed to retrenched workers to take advantage of the gesture by investing their packages in productive activities that would help them sustain their lives.
He noted that it was undeniable fact that the volatility of copper prices on the international market had made it inevitable for mine owners to shed the workforce in order to continue with operations.
Speaking during the ‘Assignment’ programme, Mr Chanda said the President was on top things and wanted to ensure that the impact of job losses was cushioned.