Government says it is in a hurry to get more local contractors on the Higher Grades of the National Council of Construction (NCC) Contractor Registration Grading Scheme.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communications minister Yamfwa Mukanga says this is the only way the country can ensure meaningful participation of the local contractors in the ongoing robust infrastructure development around the country.
Mr. Mukanga said the development has potential to retain most profits within the country while at the same time significantly reducing the high levels of unemployment in the country.
The Minister said this when he officiated at the 6th combined graduation ceremony of the National Council for Construction in Lusaka yesterday.
A total of 230 students graduated in Earth Moving Equipment Operations, Management of Civil Engineering Processes, Road Construction and Maintenance, among many other construction related courses.
And Mr. Mukanga called for the reward of big and lucrative projects to the Zambian constructing firms the situation he said is aimed at empowering more Zambian contractors.
Earlier, National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) Executive Director Anthony Mwanaumo said his organisation attaches great importance to all initiatives aimed at growing the local capacity of the construction industry.
In a speech read for him by Engineer Wallace Mumba, Dr. Mwanaumo said this is in line with the unprecedented growth of the construction industry hence the need to continue sustaining it.
Local contractors can get grz jobs as long as they pay 30% to Chipuba Mukanga and his PFools. They can they abandon the jobs because they will not have enough money to finish them.
Ba LT its “hurry” not “Harry” (when Harry met Sally)
I am sorry to say that Zambian local contractors are lazy, all they know is getting money and buy luxury cars, they will do work with sub standards. visit The week in Pictures and see how they are constructing bridges. Useless. Abusing workers.. get international established companies to do quality work.
Mukanga, the man who assured Zambians of a national flag carrier by June 2014 because “talks and negotiations with Emirates and other big airlines had reached an advanced stage”.
Its not just a question of moving local contractors to higher grades of NCC and giving them big contracts.
You also need to look at the commercial side of things. Are you going to help local contractors access cheap funding to do the same gig contracts? Are you going to pay the local contractors on time for the services already rendered using borrowed money? Are you going to cut out political cadres in the award of these contracts? Are you going to put in good incentive for local contractors to bring in capital equipment to be used on these big contracts? if your answer is NO to any of these questions then this is a futile exercise or mare rhetoric.
Harry indeed. LT for you
Why do you guys publish too many mistakes harry or hurry
Previous Ms Lung or Mrs Lungu etc……
Most Internet media have no adequate staff. No stuff too kikikikiki!
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to hire foreign contractors due to non payment by GRZ. So now we have to turn to local contractors who can be paid less, or who can be given promissory notes for their labour……
The author had Harry Kalaba or Prince Harry in his/her mind