Kafue Steel Plant has laid off more than 200 workers as a result of increased load shedding which has affected its production.
Speaking when Special Assistant to the President for Project Monitoring and Implementation Lucky Mulusa toured the plant yesterday, Company Technical Executive Director Julius Kaoma says this is from a workforce of 1,000 workers.
He says the company’s production has been reduced from 10,000 to 3,000 tonnes per month.
Dr Kaoma has since urged government to look into the challenge of power which is affecting the steel industry in the country.
And Government has been urged to encourage the use of Zambian produced steel in major infrastructure projects being undertaken.
Kafue Steel Plant Managing Director, Biswajeet Chowdhury says there is need to protect the local steel industry.
He says the company is determined to make a significant contribution to the development of the broader Zambian economy.
And Special Assistant to the President for Project Monitoring and Implementation Lucky Mulusa has assured Kafue Steel that government will ban the importation of steel in order to protect the local industry.
Mr. Mulusa says the Government understands the great challenges the steel industry is currently facing.
Eish!!! All those bread winners without employment. Am the govt will, at best, only issue a statement and not move in to address the cause of the loss of employment. We are watching you and we know that 2016 is not far from now. PF needs to be voted out.
WHo cares- let them go to school
Thanks
BB2014
Why does this Govt only get concerned with job losses when it has to do with mines? Are the 200 people who will lose jobs here not Zambians also? If this was announced by Mopani Copper mines they would have already issued threats to the mines but here they are all quite. Why segregate Zambians in this manner? Anyway all those losing jobs will certainly not vote for these pretenders in Govt next year.
The reason being the ministers, kambwili et Al own the companies that supply the mines. They van see no more bussiness for themselves.
@LUCY YOU HAVE RAISED AN EXCELLENT POINT. THE SAD THING IS OUR INCOMPETENT GOVERNMENT IS ULTIMATELY TO BLAME FOR THE MANY WOES VISITING OUR CITIZENRY. LOAD SHEDDING IS A LEGITIMATE REASON WHICH DIRECTLY AFFECTS PRODUCTIVITY WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO JOB CUTS. AN INDUSTRY SUCH AS STEEL WORKS NEEDS A LOT OF ELECTRICITY TO OPERATE. ANOTHER ISSUE IS OBVIOUSLY THE REDUCTION IN DEMAND WITH GOVERNMENT NOT BEING ABLE TO ADEQUATELY FUND ALL THEIR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. ALL WE CAN DO IS HANG TIGHT AND PRAY FOR A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT! !!!
What more do you expect from this vision less govt? This is just a drop in the ocean expect more job losses in the near future
Comment: yes government should lay control measures to ban importation of certain things that can be locally produced