Minister of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya said the construction company was repeatedly delaying works to complete the third phase of the District hospital which costs 14 million despite paying 20 percent of the contract sum. Dr Chilufya was speaking when he toured Mkushi District Hospital in Mkushi on Saturday.
“We have with immediate effect terminated the contract for African Constructors Company and and this should serve as a warning to other contractors to be accountable when given work by Government because it is Government resources ,”he said. He said the pace at which the African contractor is doing the construction works is not good enough to complete the project in time. He said despite the set back Government will still ensure that the project is still completed.
“I am assuring the people of Mkushi that the Hospital will soon be commissioned before the end of this year,” he said. Dr Chilufya said the District Hospital has been constructed at a total cost of K26 000. Dr Chilufya has also Directed Zafec investment construction company which is engaged to construct phase two to speed up the works within four weeks so that the hospital can be operational.
“We need to remedy the situation by ensuring that construction works at the hospital progress so that the Hospital can start operating.” He said.Meanwhile, Mkushi District Medical Officer Mackford Chipili said they was need to speed up the works at the District hospital so that people can start using the facility.
Dr Chipili said at the moment the local people depend on Mukushi District community hospital which has 72 bed capacity catering for 157,000 people plus.” if the newly constructed District hospital is completed it will decongest and efficiently deliver a health to people of Mukushi” he said.
This boma is very good at not paying contractors on time and in many cases no payment is ever made at all. If i read this well, the PS has terminated the contract because….”despite paying 20% of the contract sum” to complete phase three. Bwana the contractor has paid “friends” who helped him to get that job and he is broke. That’s how you work unfortunately.
Total crap! How can 100% of a hospital be constructed for 20% that has been paid?
Actually that 20% paid went to a PF Cadre as a KICKBACK for facilitating the awarding of the TENDER to African Contractors.
Chinese contractors go back to get loans from Chinese banks, thats how they manage to continue working even when Govt takes a long time to pay.
The truth is Govt is BROKE. The days of KALOBA are over. Now they plan to strangle Zambians with IMF Loans & Structural Adjustment Program (SAP).
VERY RECKLESS & STYOPET GOVT.
“…Dr Chilufya said the District Hospital has been constructed at a total cost of K26 000..”
Really? Too little….no ways!
These mangwams believe that K26,000 is a lot of money. In fact that does not even buy you a pig sty.
Doesn’t make sense,it is better to get the contractor’s side of the story.What is 20% if you are serious about commissioning the project by year end? The contractor might have left due to non payment. Bwana you pay per phase as demanded by the contractor. It is a warning to Boma that if you don’t pay,I won’t work. Period !!
20 % of K 14 million is not K 26,000
This article is full of s***. 20%, k26000. Let’s be serious with what we do and write.
20% IS not enough to finish the phase three of the hospital, that is why most of these contractors are not giving us strong infrastructure it is because of these luck of funds to contractors, it as contributed to poor work, down the line you find that the building as develop same crack it is due to luck funds to buy good material, they end up buying poor quality of materials,
IS 20% of K14,000,000 K26,000?????. K2,800,000 is a lot of money. local contractors must be serious.
Mediocrity in everything we try to do! If 20% is the mobilization fund, how much has been paid thereafter for work so far done? And why should the health Minister cancel the contract the did not award? Aren’t these contracts are handled by the Ministry of Works and Supply through the Buildings Department and the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA). I expected the Minister of Health and the Provincial PS to make only recommendations to the Ministry of Works to cancel the contract and not this haphazard way of doing things even when the people involved are educated!The writers of the article are also not telling us what amount is the 20%.20% of what total sum? What the sum total if phases I,II and III??
The GOVT must pay 50% upfront to locally based contractors as the South African GOVT does to help the local entrepreneurs who lacks start up capital
Surely how are these companies even shortlisted…