Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The National Council for Construction (NCC) says it has issued over 3,200 registration certificates to contractors for the 2015 registration period.
This came to light today during the launch of the media awareness campaign for labour laws in the construction sector in Lusaka aimed at educating Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the construction sector of the need to comply with the labour laws.
NCC Executive Director Engineer Charles Mushota says the number is expected to increase to over 4, 000 over the next five months as more projects are commissioned and more contractors prepare themselves to meet the challenge of the increased demand for their service.
Mr Mushota says last year alone, over 6, 000 contractors were registered and that this year the number is expected to surpass last year’s figures.
Mr Mushota notes that the construction sector is one sector where labour laws are flouted by employers.
Speaking at the same event, Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda says his ministry together with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) saw it fit to embark on a campaign of sensitizing contractors about labour laws.
Mr. Shamenda says it is unfortunate that large number of Zambian employers and workers are ignorant of their rights and remain unprotected from potential injustice or victimization.
Speaking earlier, International Labour Organization (ILO) Representative Mukubesa Sanyambe said labour laws and regulations have direct cost implications for MSMEs through the imposition of minimum wages, allowances, severance pay, social security and labor administration obligations on the employer.
And Norwegian Ambassador to Zambia Arve Ofstad has emphasized the need for employers to ensure that workers are provided with safety clothing to avoid accidents at places of work.
The campaign project is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with support from the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).