Leader of Opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa has told Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) employees to defy a directive by the Lazarus Chakwera administration and return to work on Monday.
Nankhumwa made the call at a press briefing today,
On Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Development Robin Lowe announced the suspension of ADMARC services with immediate effect, including sending home the 4,063 employees at the corporation, informing them not to come back to work, and that if they do, they would be considered as trespassing.
The minister said this is part of the plan that the Tonse Alliance government has come up with to turn-around the loss making ADMARC into a viable entity.
However, Nankhumwa has described the directive as illegal and he has urged all ADMARC employees not to be cowed but to return to work on Monday.
“A cabinet minister cannot just wake up one morning and suspend the operations of ADMARC, including forcing out all employees. This is a shocking decision by President Lazarus Chakwera and his Tonse Alliance administration, and I wonder where they are getting those powers from,” said Nankhumwa.
He alleged that government’s plan is to retrench a majority of these ADMARC employees, and many of them on political grounds.
“In three months, the ‘leave’ that Honourable Lowe is talking about will turn into a ‘lay-off’, and the salary will dry out. People will lose jobs, which is what this is all about.
“These employees are human beings; mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters, with families. Many people depend on them for their livelihood. Honourable Lowe is not just sending home 4,000 employees; he is actually killing the livelihoods of thousands of other people as well with this one inconsiderate and politically-motivated decision,” said Nankhumwa.
The Leader of Opposition further questioned the government’s turnaround strategy and urged the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament and other relevant committees of Parliament to look into the matter to see its efficacy, and whether or not the move made by the Minister of Agriculture is in the best interest of the people of Malawi, the taxpayers.
He said: “It is my considered opinion that there should be a thorough and exhaustive legal process before we begin to tweak and dismantle the operations and structure of ADMARC.”
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Mr Nankhumwa is sick or he is trying to hide something.
Everyone knows that admarc need supporting machine to revive its life.
How can you keep a serious a sick person s to home without finding solution of taking him/her to hospital.
The one who keeps a sick person at home without finding solution of his stickiness is considered a witch.
Mr Nankhumwa consult with the ministry to find out the reason why they have come out with that decision. And what assurance are there for employees not to loose their jobs.