By JULIUS PHIRI –
EASTERN Water and Sewerage Company (EWSC) board chairperson Abel Kabalo has advised workers to stop rushing to the media to express their grievances.
EWSC workers were yesterday reported to have been on a local radio station, Breeze FM demanding the removal of managing director Lyton Kanowa because of the company’s failure to pay them outstanding salaries.
But Dr Kabalo said in an interview that the workers should not have rushed to the Press before trying resolve the matter amicably.
“We should learn to sort out our misunderstandings and differences amicably if they are any, unlike rushing to the media,” he advised.
According to Breeze FM news monitored in Chipata, the workers accused Mr Kanowa of delaying to pay them salaries as well as not remitting their loan deductions to the banks.
They said Mr Kanowa had a tendency of fault-finding in members of staff and used the divide and rule kind of management.
Workers claimed that following the impasse, Mr Kanowa had been sent on an indefinite forced leave until issues facing the workers were resolved.
But when contacted for a comment, Mr Kanowa denied the allegations and said he has just gone on a normal annual leave.
Mr Kanowa said complaints by workers may be valid but that this was not the reason he was on leave.
And acting managing director only identified as a Mr Mweene, declined to comment on the matter stating that the company public relations officer Henry Kashoki would issue a comprehensive statement.