Employers’ Consultative Association of Malawi (ECAM) has launched a business agenda which has got six pillars focusing on creating an enabling environment for creation of jobs and wealth.
Speaking after the launch, President of ECAM Executive Council Anne Chavula said the business agenda is like a vision of what ECAM intends to do.
Chavula said the first pillar is strengthening the social dialogue between Government, workers and employers.
“Secondly, it is to make sure that the workers compensation act is operational and as organisations and even as workers they start benefiting from that fund. The third is to reform labour laws because some of our labour laws are outdated so we are looking at reforming those laws, reforming the employment act, the labour relations act, pension act and immigration act.
“The other pillar that we are looking at the business agenda is encouraging skills development and fight youth unemployment,” explained Chavula.
Chavula added that ECAM’s major concern is to contribute to the economic development of this nation and the organisation believes that by offering employment to young people, this country will be able to achieve the Malawi 2063 agenda.
According to Chavula, the other pillar that their agenda is based on is ending sexual harassment in the workplace.
“We want gender equality and inclusiveness in workplace. Finally, the last pillar is to improve the environment for doing business, we want a place where business people should be able to do businesses in a profitable manner,” said Chavula.
In his remarks, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Labour Wezi Kayira said the agenda proposes practical steps to enable the creation of more employment, to improve the business environment and to improve the economy of the country.
“I have read through the Business Agenda and I am pleased that the agenda is well thought through. I am greatly impressed by the quality of the ideas put forward and the relevancy of the priority areas that have been singled out; surely ECAM working together with Government brings hope that our partnership can change things for the better.
“In these uncertain and turbulent times, all of us are called to action by placing our differences aside. This agenda’s main core is partnerships as ECAM implements the priority areas in order to ensure business sustainability, create more jobs which are catalyst for the development of the national economy,” explained Kayira.
Kayira also hinted that as Government they pledge full support towards working with Employers Consultative Association of Malawi as the organisation implements the key priority areas in the Business Agenda.
“I would like to also assure you that Government will always support both workers and employers as its Social Partners and in the spirit of tripartism. I have noted with appreciation that ECAM Business Agenda is aligned to key policy instruments such as the Malawi Vision 2063, Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and Malawi Decent Work Country Program II. This is a clear demonstration that ECAM is responsive to the dynamic needs of our society as well as global changes,” explained Kayira.
He then commended ECAM as the Voice of Employers in Malawi for coming up with a Business Agenda that can be used to measure their contributions to the nation.
