Ministry of Labour Acting Permanent Secretary, Zechariah Luhanga has advised employers in the tourism sector to adhere to the labour laws by paying their employees the minimum wage.
Mr. Luhanga says the Ministry of Labour has observed that many people are not familiar with the basic content of the minimum wage.
He said this during the question-and-answer session at the ongoing 2024 Travel, Hospitality and Tourism Education Summit in Lusaka today.
He advised employers to pay and agree with their employees on how much they should pay them per hour or pay minimum wage for the standard eight hours of work.
“About the minimum wages, you can agree about how many hours you want that worker to be with you. Many of us are stuck with the eight hours policy, but if you want productivity, you have to agree with them about the hours so that you release them after that otherwise, us as ministry of Labour we will expect you to adhere to the employment code Act,” he explained.
Mr. Luhanga further disclosed that the tourism sector has shown positive growth in abiding to labour laws in the country.
He however encouraged them to work extra hard in ensuring that their employees are taken care of as there is still room for improvement.
The Acting PS urged employers in the tourism sector to ensure that they sign contracts with their workers that will outline the terms and conditions as stipulated in the employment code Act.
And speaking at the same event, Zambia Green Resilient and Transformation Tourism Development Project (GREAT- TOP) Coordinator, Chilala Habasimbi highlighted the importance of tourism education saying it equips individuals with a diverse skill which are essential for success in the tourism sector.
Mrs. Habasimbi added that another benefit of tourism education is that it promotes awareness of sustainable practices, helps preserve natural cultural resources, and empowers local communities.
She noted that a well-educated workforce contributes to economic growth and job creation in the tourism sector.
This year’s summit which started on the April 15, 2024 is being held under the theme, “Human capital gap in Africa’s tourism industry; aligning learning to industry development in AFCTA era.”
