Civil Service Commission cautions workers

President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (second from right) shares a light moment with Chairpersons of Civil Service Commission Dickson Chasaya

The Civil Service Commission has cautioned workers not to turn the civil service into an academic institution.

Speaking during a familiarization tour of the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Civil Service Commission Chairperson Dickson Chasaya says he is aware that some civil servants hardly work, but spend most of their time pursuing and upgrading their academic qualifications.

He says this mostly affects the performance levels of the civil service and contributes to having a theoretical Labour force rather than a practical Labour force.

Mr. Chasaya has also cautioned people who politicize the Labour force to put aside their political affiliations as this affects their work performance, but rather integrate good and transparent ethical codes of conduct to ensure professionalism.

He has however, assured the workers that the Commission is taking care of their needs and petitions.

Mr Chasaya notes that there have been people who have been in the civil service for 10-20 years and have never been promoted, and yet people who join the service and have hardly worked for more than 5 years are promoted.

Speaking at the same event, Ministry of Health Director for Human Resource Management and Administration Fredrick Mwila said there have been complaints by medical workers at UTH that were recently employed who have not received their salaries for the past four months.

Mr. Mwila says this happens because over employing workers than is required.

He says sometimes the Ministry usually has the capability of only employing 70 medical doctors and yet over 150 apply as result all are picked in the hope of sorting out the issue later on.

Mr Mwila hopes that the Public Service Commission will ensure there is an effective financial strategy to combat such complications in future.