The contractor constructing physical structures for the K3.3 Million Solar Mini Grid Project in Lunga district of Luapula Province has been ordered to discontinue with the works for alleged use of substandard blocks.
Rural Electrification Authority (REA) Chief Executive Officer, Geoffrey Musonda, ordered Aston Investments Limited to discontinue with the works until a team of engineers urgently assesses the quality of the materials.
Mr Musonda expressed concern that the materials being used will not be able to withstand or accommodate the high value materials for the solar project.
He issued the directives yesterday in Lunga district shortly after touring the construction project.
Musonda, however, noted some of the challenges the contractor may be facing in transporting building materials to Lunga district.
Meanwhile, Aston Investments Limited Northern Region Manager Tommy Cau obliged to Mr Musonda’s directive.
Among the structures being constructed are the power house, administration block, three staff houses and the solar power plant yard.
Our economy is messed up! Poverty is everywhere!!
Find solutions instead of waiting on others.
No votes for PF, that project is abandoned, K3.3m lost again.
@2 Nostradamus, in fact we must be happy that “The contractor constructing physical structures for the K3.3 Million Solar Mini Grid Project in Lunga district of Luapula Province has been ordered to discontinue with the works for alleged use of substandard blocks” and that”Mr Musonda expressed concern that the materials being used will not be able to withstand or accommodate the high value materials for the solar project.”-that proper stewardship. The work has been halted so that it can be properly done so that the money is not spent on infrastructure that will not last! This is a sign that the person stopping this is not corrupt so he is saving our resources for proper use!
Nostradamus does not think. There is nothing that can be done to help him. He is beyond redemption.
Instead of negotiating good quality material at cheap price you simply want to just do a shamble job with cheap material and pocket the rest thereby losing return business…seriously how do such companies get such contracts? Track record is very important.
How do such companies get such contracts? Haven’t you heard of contracts for PF owned companies? They are not concerned about track records, as long as they belong to the party in power they are assured of more contracts…!
Every time we start and stop something is a blow to the economy. Its great we found they were using low grade material, fact still remains it should not have happened in the first place. Before starting a project those in charge should have known what was being used. An investigation should be conducted. It shows a lack of education, skills, training and could have had devastating impacts. With transportation issues, this is where the introduction of motorways comes in and great to transport people, goods and great for domestic and international tourism. But we have a useless tourism minister who has no education for such an elaborate project. Only thing she’s good at is lifting the ban on trophy hunting and killing endangered wildlife.
This will also create jobs for youth, women, vulnerable people including the disabled and the blind to grandparents. This initiative can help empower everyone in Luapula province but can only happen if you have the right people who know what they are doing. So the jobs PF claims to be providing can be done and achieved but not through lies but by qualified people. Hopefully whichever government that comes in gets rid of Jean Kapata and all the useless ministers who sit in their offices pretending to work. Why are we the tax payers suffering when its our money paying their salaries? We need to stop these unethical practices and go by skills, merit and education when giving ministerial job positions and all high government positions to people.