Africa-Press – Zambia. A recent Board of Directors for the Times of Zambia resolved to liquidate the newspaper firm, the oldest newspapers entity in the country. The Board which is a secondment from the Zambia Daily Mail also resolved to sack all the 200 workers.
This has been revealed by the Zambia Institute of Independent Media Alliance (ZIIMA) which is concerned and is ready to stand with the Times Printpak Zambia Limited (TPPZ) workers.
ZIIMA President Jajah Coulibaly said the fate of the workers remains in a dilemma following the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)’s announcement to lay off all the workers by June 2022.
“This heartless and selfish decision that was initiated in the previous PF administration is surprisingly being implemented in the New Dawn Government, a situation that has sent over 200 journalists into panic mode. This is the reason we as a media body may not have kind words for the IDC and the previous regime for the ruthless and cruel manner in which they treated and continue to treat the media fraternity, thereby relegating the profession of journalism,” Mr. Coulibaly said.
“We saw a lot of journalists lose jobs previously and it was during the PF rule that we witnessed unwarranted closure of The Post Newspaper, Prime TV and many revocations of licenses for various media houses. This business should not continue under the ‘New Dawn’ government.”
Mr. Coulibaly said the dissolution of the Times Printpak Zambia limited Board of directors and firing of its entire management in 2019, and buying of all landed properties of TPPZ in 2020 by the IDC were believed to have been made to restructure the Company and to improve its operations, thereby prolonging its life.
“However, less than a year later, a resolution was passed by a ‘wrong’ board (Zambia Daily Mail board) to liquidate TPPZ and send dedicated journalists into poverty. What restructuring is this?”
“Times of Zambia is the country’s oldest newspaper brand that commands a large following and liquidating it over selfish personal interests would be doing away with history and the importance attached to it.
What is more worrying is that the same journalists and other workers being sent on the streets are not being paid fairly. They have been served with redundancy letters, but denied full redundancy package according to the collective agreement that is in force between management and unionized workers.”
He added, “We are concerned with the happenings at TPPZ, as a media body that looks at the welfare of journalists and media houses, especially that the President’s name is being dragged into this issue. IDC is busy telling workers that whatever actions they are taking at Times of Zambia has the blessings of President Hakainde Hichilema when he promised that no media house would be closed under his rule.”
“Your Excellency Sir, come out open on this allegation of you sanctioning the liquidation of TPPZ by IDC to avoid being used as your predecessor was used in many wrong doings without his knowledge. We ask His Excellency the President to come on board and look into this issue which we believe can be reversed and the media house stand on its feet.”
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