Govt to reactivate employment agency

THE Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare is in the process of setting up and operationilising a Government employment agency to cater for employers and job seekers during the recruitment process.

In an interview yesterday, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Petronella Kagonye said setting up of an employment agency should be achieved within 100 days.

She said the employment agency had been a dysfunctional department in Government.

“We are trying to improve our department, the National Employment Services department. It is a Government’s employment agency but it has not been functioning.

“No one really knows about it yet it is supposed to be the hub, the main employment centre for Government,” said Minister Kagonye.

“Those who are looking for employment should approach the agency and those that want to employ should also approach the same agency,” she said.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Mr Peter Mutasa commended Government’s plans saying the agency would help provide accurate information on the country’s employment statistics.

“We cannot over emphasise the importance of statistics. This country has been running on auto pilot as far as statistics is concerned.

“We don’t have accurate and defendable statistics. Even the figures that are tabled by many segments of the business community and Government departments are not as accurate as we want,” he said.

Mr Mutasa said the employment agency was also crucial for public policy planning. — @nqotshili.