MINISTRY of Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga has announced that all eligible former Roan Antelope Mining Corporation (RAMCOZ) employees can now access their pension benefits from NAPSA.

In a statement, Tuesday, Malupenga said government had funded the office of the Administrator General for purposes of settling outstanding RAMCOZ liabilities including amounts owed to NAPSA in unpaid contributions.

“The government of the Republic of Zambia is pleased to inform all former Roan Antelope Mining Corporation (RAMCOZ) employees and the general public that it has made available funding to the office of the Administrator General for the purposes of settling outstanding RAMCOZ liabilities including amounts owed to NAPSA in unpaid contributions. Effectively, this means that all eligible former RAMCOZ employees can now access their pension benefits from NAPSA. RAMCOZ was placed under receivership in November 2000 and subsequently liquidated in 2004. Prior to its liquidation, the office of the Administrator General was appointed as official receiver,” stated Malupenga.

“At the time of its liquidation, RAMCOZ was owing a number of statutory bodies including NAPSA in unpaid statutory contributions. As a result of this, NAPSA has not been able to pay pension benefits to former RAMCOZ employees prior to this government intervention. Following this settlement, NAPSA has since commenced payment of pension benefits to all eligible former RAMCOZ employees. Therefore, eligible former employees of RAMCOZ are encouraged to visit any nearest NAPSA office for further guidance. Government is pleased that this matter which has dragged on for many years has reached its conclusive end in the interest of the workers.”