Hybrid Poultry Gets Ultimatum
ZAMBIA - Deputy Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Mwenya Musenge has given a six-month ultimatum to management at Hybrid Poultry in Kitwe to ensure that the welfare of employees is improved.Mr Musenge, who is Member of Parliament (MP) for Chimwemwe Constituency where Hybrid Poultry is located, was saddened to learn that workers were living in deplorable houses aside being paid meagre salaries.
According to Times of Zambia, the displeased parliamentarian, who took time to inspect housing units, was disappointed with management for not facilitating power connection to 83 households.
“These houses were built in the 1950s and the fact that the company is expanding its operations means it makes money and the prudent thing to do is to have workers have also a share of this by ensuring that their welfare is well taken care of,” Mr Musenge said.
He said it was unacceptable that workers were using pit-latrines.
“To use pit-latrines in this era is unacceptable especially that the company can manage to build water-borne lavatories for employees,” he said.
Mr Musenge was equally not pleased with the monthly salary of K420,000 each employee was getting.
“I am giving management six-months ultimatum in which I want to see change in all these areas I have raised concern,” Mr Musenge said.
But Hybrid Poultry general manager, Orson Taylor, said management had already started addressing some of the concerns such as renovating the houses and constructing new ablution blocks.
Mr Taylor said the company would also improve salaries and assured the deputy minister that he would find drastic improvement during his next visit.