NT Plastics Manufacturing Ltd Managing Director, Zhouh Young Fei, has been arrested for failing to comply with an order from the Minister of Labour to close the company until all issues related to poor working conditions for Malawian employees are resolved.

The Minister of Labour, Vitumbiko Mumba, conducted a surprise visit to a torch manufacturing company in Njewa, Lilongwe, on Friday after receiving a tip-off from local residents that the company had reopened without following proper procedures.

The minister ordered the company’s closure on Thursday due to the lack of a proper work environment, inadequate safety gear for employees, and unhygienic toilets for workers.

“We received tip-offs yesterday that, despite the order to close down the company, they continued operations without complying with the directives we issued. This morning, we received further reports from local residents that the company was still in operation, which prompted us to conduct a surprise visit.

“As you have seen for yourself, workers were still on duty despite our demands to improve and uphold workers’ rights by providing a safe and clean environment for employees,” Mumba explained.

The minister referred the Managing Director to the Labour Law Commissioner for arrest due to violations of Malawi’s labour laws.

“As a Minister of Labour, l have further sent more labour workers to inspect all closed companies and should any object to the order, the laws will be imposed on them.

“As a ministry we will ensure that workers’ rights are promoted in the country by following the right labour laws of the country,” he said.

Zhouh Young Fei has currently been taken to the police for questioning regarding the issues at hand.