I have also not received my Salary for the last two months, Miles Sampa explains Salary delays at LCC
Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa has said that he has not received his salary for the last two months. In a response in reaction to social media comments against his trip to the US capital, Washington DC, and the ongoing go slow embarked upon by council workers due to delayed salaries, the Lusaka Mayor said that the Government has released some funds to meet the short fall in the wage bill.
The Mayor also said that he has had to cut his trip short to attend to the go slow crisis back home.
The Mayor hope to have Lusaka City Council financially self sustaining on staff wages so that they do not have to rely on Government for a bailout.
Below is the Mayor’s full post
I have observed some social media comments and some valid feedback (with some not valid as usual) against our trip to Washington DC The Capital of the USA, given LCC staff “go slow” due to salary delays. I have been compelled to respond accordingly.
My entourage included the Town Clerk Mr Alex Mwansa, Director Planning Mrs Muvombo Muchimba, Hon Councillor Ms Bupe Mulenga and Hon Councillor Mr Elijah Makungu.
For clarity purposes, may I state that the delay in wages also includes my office. I have also not received my salary for the last two months but the good news to all of us that work at LCC is that the Government through our able President Mr Edgar C Lungu, the Ministry of Finance and our parent Ministry of Local Government have released some funds to meet the short fall in the wage bill. We thank The Central Government.
I have since asked the Town Clerk and our Finance Director Mr Bestone Kajoba to ensure that I am always paid last and only after all other LCC workers have been paid.
As for our trip, allow me to state as a matter of fact that it was not financed by LCC or by Government. All other previous trips I have made abroad since assuming office were also not sponsored by LCC. Equally, all subsequent trips I may choose to seek travel authority and undertake, I will ensure that they are not financed by LCC.
Some highlights of our trip included LCC making presentations at the annual Word Bank hosted conference on Land and Poverty (alleviation), meeting with USAID top official incharge of Africa Ms Oren Whyche-Shaw, meeting with the top officials at Millenium Challenge (financed via a grant of $355M the recently completed Lusaka Water and Bombay drainage works), courtesy meeting to our Washington,DC ambassoder Dr Ngosa Simbyakula.
On the Corporate front, we had lunch with the Zambian renown scholar Professor Kenneth K Mwenda and had dinner with the respected Washington DC Economist Dr Robert J. Shapiro.
At a Corporate cockail event last night, we interacted amongst others with the Founder and Chairman for the Nasdaq $1.7BN online home furniture retail trading company Overstock, Mr Patrick M. Byrne.
Mr Byrne once worked for and is now a business “son” of the CEO of Beckshire Hathaway Mr Warren Buffet. Mr Byrne is a renown philanthropist and we invited him to consider investing and visiting our Capital City of Lusaka.
Although International tours of duty and Networking are vital in order to bring Foreign Direct Investment to LCC and to Our beloved City, I will never do it from LCC coffers as the Council has more pressing financial challenges and needs.
As stated in my Social Contract (item 1 under Revenue Improvement Heading ) that we released before my election, one of my primary tasks is to increase revenue as well as reduce Financial costs or income leakages for LCC.
I hope to have LCC be financially self sustaining especially on staff wages so that we can allow the Central Government latitude to attend to other equally pressing public financial demands.
Given above and latest events at LCC, I have had to cut my trip short and actually texting from a plane back home.
I however remain extra confident that our USA trip will bear fruits in one way or another within 2019 for all residents of the Greater City of Lusaka.
Thank you & God Bless us all.
Source: Lusaka Times