SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ZAMBIA FEDERATION OF EMPLOYERS MRS MYRA SAKALA NGOMA AT THE PRODUCTIVITY CONFERENCE FOR SENIOR MANAGERS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE AT MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (KENNETH KAUNDA WING) 22 SEPTEMBER 2022
- THE GUEST OF HONOUR MINISTER IF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY HONOURABLE BRENDA MWIKA TAMBATAMBA MP,
- THE ACTING SECRETARY TO THE CABINET PATRICK KANGWA,
- THE ACTING PERMANENT SECRETARY MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MR. ZECHARIAH LUHANGA
- SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT
- THE PRESIDENT OF THE ZAMBIA CONGRESS OF TRADE UNION, MR. NKOLE CHISHIMBA
- THE ILO COUNTRY DIRECTOR, MR GEORGE OKUTHO
- COLLEAGUES FROM THE MEDIA
- DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
I AM GLAD TO HAVE BEEN ACCORDED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME REMARKS AT THIS FUNCTION WHICH IS A PRODUCTIVITY CONFERENCE FOR SENIOR MANAGERS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
GUEST OF HONOUR THE SUBJECT OF PRODUCTIVITY IS ONE THAT IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRY AT LARGE AS IT IS THROUGH ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY THAT INDUSTRIES AND THE ECONOMY AT LARGE CAN GROW TO MEANINGFUL LEVELS THAT CAN SUSTAIN EXISTING AND FUTURE JOBS IN AN ECONOMY.
WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT CREATION OF DECENT JOBS IN THE COUNTRY IF WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT PRODUCTIVE AND IF TRAINING SUCH AS THIS ONE IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED FOR THE MANPOWER THAT IS EXPECTED TO APPLY THE PRODUCTIVITY CONCEPTS IN THEIR WORK SCHEDULE. ALLOW ME THEREFORE TOP COMMEND THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THIS WISE THINKING IN DECIDING THAT THE SENIOR MANAGERS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO UNDERGO THIS TRAINING.
GIVEN THAT THERE IS NOW A NATIONAL POLICY ON PRODUCTIVITY, IT IS HIGHLY EXPECTED BY INDUSTRY THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROMOTE THE ASPECT OF PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE TO REALISE THE VISION 2030. IT IS THEREFORE, TIMELY AND COMMENDABLE THAT THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY HAS ORGANISED THIS CONFERENCE ON PRODUCTIVITY AT WHICH IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE CONCEPT OF POSITIVE MIND-SET AS WELL AS A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND EXCELLENCE TO ENABLE THEM EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AGENDA AMONG OTHER THINGS.
IT IS NO DOUBT THAT THE SENIOR MANAGERS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE WHO ARE PARTICIPANTS TO THIS WORKSHOP HOLD THE KEY TO ZAMBIA’S ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION THROUGH INNOVATION AND SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE ZAMBIAN CITIZENS AND MORE SO TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AS ZAMBIA ASPIRES TO BECOME A STRONG AND DYNAMIC MIDDLE-INCOME INDUSTRIAL NATION BY THE YEAR 2030, THERE IS NEED FOR CONCERTED EFFORTS IN CREATING ENHANCED ABILITY TO ACHIEVE RAPID AND SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH SUSTAINED GROWTH OF PRIVATE SECTOR ENTERPRISES. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING IN ZFE THAT A COUNTRY’S COMPETITIVENESS IS DETERMINED AMONG OTHER THINGS BY PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH IT USES HUMAN, CAPITAL AND ITS NATURAL RESOURCES. THESE MUST BE REFLECTIVE IN THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND IN ENTERPRISE GROWTH IN ANY ECONOMY.
GUEST OF HONOUR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCES RAPID ECONOMIC GROWTH, HIGHER STANDARDS OF LIVING BALANCE OF PAYMENT AND INFLATION CONTROLS. WE BELIEVE THAT A MIND-SET THAT ACCOMMODATES PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT ASPECTS IS WELL PLACED IN HELPING THE COUNTRY FORMULATE EFFECTIVE AND WELL THOUGHT THROUGH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POLICIES THAT SHOULD AID ACCURATE FUTURISTIC PLANNING FOR GROWTH.
THE SENIOR MANAGERS AND EQUIVALENT POSITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR ARE ATTENDING THIS CONFERENCE ON PRODUCTIVITY TODAY IN OUR VIEW HAVE A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY TO SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE COUNTRY TO HIGH LEVELS OF CREATION OF DECENT JOBS IN THE COUNTRY.
IN MOVING THE SUBJECT OF PRODUCTIVITY FORWARD, THE SENIOR MANAGERS ATTENDING THIS CONFERENCE PUBLIC SECTOR MUST REALISE THAT THEY ARE CALLED UPON TO HELP THE GOVERNMENT IN PROVIDING SERVICE TIMELY, COST EFFECTIVE AD WITHOUT ANY COMPROMISE ON QUALITY. IN TERMS OF CREATING AN ENABLING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, IT SHOULD BE REALISED THAT BUSINESS REGULATIONS ARE IMPORTANT IF THEY ENHANCE AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL BUSINESSES IN VARIOUS SECTORS.
WE ARE GRATEFUL AND AS ZFE WE WISH TO COMMEND THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT FOR THE POSITIVE PRONOUNCEMENTS SO FAR MADE, THE ATTAINMENT OF A SINGLE DIGIT INFLATION RATE, WHICH IS RESULTING IN SOME COMMERCIAL BANKS RESPONDING POSITIVELY BY REDUCING THE INTEREST RATES.
WE ARE GRATEFUL AND AS ZFE WE WISH TO COMMEND THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT FOR THE POSITIVE POLICY PRONOUNCEMENTS SO FAR MADE, THE STABILITY IN THE ECONOMY, THE STRENGTHENING OF THE ZAMBIA KWACHA AND THE RETURN TO A SINGLE DIGIT INFLATION RATE. WE COMMEND THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT AS THE ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTAL INDICATORS SO FAR ACHIEVED HAVE STARTED BEARING POSITIVE RESULTS SUCH AS COMMERCIAL BANKS REDUCING ON LENDING RATES. A CLASSIC AND COMMENDABLE EXAMPLE OF THE COMMERCIAL BANKS IS THE COMMERCIAL BANK (FNB) THAT HAS ANNOUNCED A REDUCTION FROM 27.5 % TO 20% ON PERSONAL, HOME AND CAR LOANS TO PASS ON THE BENEFITS OF A SOUND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT TO ITS CUSTOMERS. WE CALL ON OTHER COMMERCIAL BANKS TO FOLLOW SUIT.
WE HOPE THAT SOON THIS WILL BE THE CASE WITH ALL COMMERCIAL BANKS IN THE COUNTRY.
GUEST OF HONOUR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS CONFERENCE ON PRODUCTIVITY IMRPOVEMENT FOR SENIOR MANAGERS AND EQUIVALENT POSITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS BEING HELD WHEN THE NATIONA THROUGH ITS GOVERNMENT HAS JUST LAUNCHED ITS 8TH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN UNDER THE THEME ‘’SOCIO ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION FOR IMPROVED LIVELIHOODS’’. FOR THE PERIOD 2022 TO 2026.
THE MILESTONES THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN THIS PLAN UNDER THE 4 STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS NAMELY; ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AND JOB CREATION, HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT OF SENIOR MANAGERS FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR ATTENDING THIS CONFERENCE.
THIS IS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM ATTAINMENT OF STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES THAT AN ENTITY AND IN THIS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA HAS OUTLINED TO BE ACHIEVED OVER A PERIOD OF 5 YEARS. IT MEANS THEREFORE, THAT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WILL BE MEASURED AGAINST THE ATTAINMENT MILESTONES.
SUCH AS NOT ONLY AIMING AT ENSURING THAT GROWTH IS ACHIEVED FOR ITS OWN SAKE BUT PURSUING GROWTH THAT WILL TRANSFORM THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE ZAMBIA PEOPLE.