Irish engineering consultancy firm Nicholas O’Dwyer has signed a €10m contract to carry out work on the $1.2bn Lusaka to Ndola road in Zambia.
The company, which was founded in 1932, will carry out the design review, technical and financial supervision of the project.
As a result of the contract win 30 jobs will be created at the firm.
In a statement, Richard Crowe, managing director at Nicholas O’Dwyer, said that the project will upgrade a vital link for the Zambian economy, connecting the capital, Lusaka, to the country’s copper belt in the North.
Copper mining is the major economic contributor in Zambia, and the country is one of the largest producers of copper in the world.
“Nicholas O’Dwyer has worked extensively on large infrastructure projects across the developing world for decades, and this is a major step forward for the company in its international operations and growth strategy,” Mr Crowe said.
Mr Crowe went on to thank both the Department of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise Ireland for their support and assistance.
The project, which is expected to take about four years to construct, will see the construction of 350km of dual carriageway, and some significant ancillary infrastructure.
“Nicholas O’Dwyer has worked extensively on large infrastructure projects across the developing world for decades, and this is a major step forward for the company in its international operations and growth strategy,” commented the company’s managing director Richard Crowe.
Congratulating the company on its win, Ciaran Cannon, Minister of State for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that international agreements such as this propel Irish companies onto a global stage.
“Nicholas O’Dwyer is an excellent example of a company utilising Irish talent and innovation to provide effective solutions to aid developing world economies. I wish the company every success as they undertake this project.”
so you guys have maintained that the road will cost 1.2bn dollars?
yes, do you have a problem with that figure of 1.2bn?
si ndalama za nyoko!!!!
I am struggling to see what work will be done by the Irish company. I am sure they are wondering themselves what it is they will be doing, apart from collecting the cheque.
In any case, consultants should have been engaged at the start of the project, in fact, even before selecting the “winning” tender.
This is an example of “chipantepante” work ethics.
Irish don’t steal, they are Catholics.
Therefore they only took £10 million out the $1.billion, the rest of the money RDA at state house have receipts ready for auditors already.
These P.Foools, only 30 jobs will be created. Rewrite the thing fichimbwi imwe.
The all story is an insult to the Irish.
1.2 billion dollars is just too much!! Unless it will be a three-lane either way double decker highway coming with flashing lights and overhead restaurants and cameras. Not to forget electronic tolling and things like curb slopes and guard rails
The Irish will do a good job. This could have been Kambwili”s contract.
You chaps, just use a Currency Converter on google to determine that Euro 10M is equivalent to just above $11M, therefore the $1.2 Billion means they are OUT TO STEAL at least $989.2M !!!!!!!!!!! Are we Zediansso ST..Upi..D & SO DULL to just keep quiet?????
We look forward to the success of this very important project which will have a very positive impact on country. God Bless Zambia
So the one to carry out the actual works is Avic international?
This is a Chinese loan so Main Contractor has to be a Chinese firm….
work on the $1.2bn Lusaka to Ndola road in Zambia.
Oval head: $1.2 billion is change manee for development….even USA can afford it.
UPND cader: a Tonga can not spend that amount on a road…..what do you think njimbu ?
Njimbu: eehhhhhh …..6.5
UPND cader: what ?
Njimbu : 6.5…
UPND cader: njimbu wake up, Sharon what do you think ?
Sharon: is HH on a bed ?
The question begs are they no competent Zambian consulting firms that could have undertaken this work that export capital and jobs to a foreign firm????? Both contractor and consultant are foreign in a see of able and competent local professionals. I have to be convinced not to smell a big fat rat here.
Son of the Soil – They might be there but not as a firm capable of overseeing specialist contract of this scale…GRZ and RDA have made payment for billion dollar road contracts over the last 20 years but with minimum skills transfer …surely how can you be proud of this even the The Engineering Council of Zambia, they should be ashamed of themselves.
People, PROJECT MANAGEMENT is a skill people spend years in college/university to get. It is not something you just get say by apprenticeship like a car machanic. It is a specialized skill not taught in Zambian schools yet.
All you have to do is look at the works done by local contractors without the help of foreign engineers or engineering consultants to know why Govt always cries about SHODY WORK. As Country, we are not there yet in certain fields.
The only issue here is these empty tins are getting the services of specialist consulting engineers at the construction phase…its paramount to engage consultants earlier on to give you cheaper but innovative options instead of contracting a whooping $1.2 billion loan which is going back to China when they project could have been undertaken at half that cost.
You wonder where the loyality of the loyality of these politicans lays..
Local contractors failed a simple 5 km road in kapiri town and a toll gate in manyumbi by nzovu n others if u remember.. Up to now the road in kapiri from weighbridge to town is a mess.
jefferson – The FIC Report stated that there are companies being awarded contracts in this sector that are not tax compliant…who do you blame for this? How can such companies even exist?
There is need to deliberately transfer skills by ensuring such contracts are co managed and executed in conjunction with local companies.
That $1.2 bn could’ve built us a modern railway and actually this dual carriage way should cost $750m . Lungu’s govt is a wasteful tenderpreneur cartel of fraudsters .
These forms of contracts bring absolutely zero value whatsoever to the local construction sector….there are no value engineering skills passed on to the sector, no technical skills passed on to local staff, no incentives are offered to the main contractor encourage cost saving techniques….1.2 billion is a lot of money a lot of money that we will be paying back to the Chinks…we need to be smart with money.
Id rather have a railline than this exorbitant road that will need pothole maintenance after six months!
Ba PF are quite a confused lot. Last year Chitotela told Parliament that China Jiangxi was selected by RDA as a preferred bidder Lusaka to Ndola Dual Carriageway, after authorization by the PPPs Council; that 321 km of the core and not a single lane would be constructed; that 45 km was for Kafulafuta to Masangano dual road and another 40 km of bypass roads at Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi, bringing the total kilometres in single carriageway terms to approximately 812 km; that the total contract sum is US$1,245,775,986.
Then Minister of Finance announced cancellation of all pipeline loans with less 80% works done. Then we are told Nicholas O’Dwyer has signed a €10m contract to carry out work on a road with 0.0001% work done. What do we follows, knashi Ba PF?
That’s because this project is funded by a Chinese loan that has already been part issued ….and the Irish firm are probably coming on board as consulting engineers…
This is my exact thoughts – every couple of months a tender for this road gets awarded to a contractor – so what happens to the money everytime – is it landing up in peoples pockets and therefor a new tender must be awarded !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO ME THIS IS JUST ANOTHER CASE OF BLATANT THEFT !
I seriously don’t get the details of this contracts under PF govt..what form of procurement route is this? Firstly this is a loan obtained via China Exim Bank which states that 80% of the works has to be carried out by their firms and 20 % by locals ..so how does the Irish company find itself on the Tender list…is the EU funding this as well.
Zambians these loan agreements put our sector at a disadvantage and only leave us with a huge loan to repay…a 350 km should not cost $1.2 billion given that it will have toll gates as well…
$1.2 Billion is alot of money for a road…wake up People!!!!
Its too expensive! Unless it wont require maintenance for 50 years
Get your facts right on the number of kilometers to be covered.
The ever sleeping Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) has again kept quiet to educate these hopeless UPND chaps. An important engineering project of this magnitude must be one in which we expect EIZ to be on top of things and more educate and clear the air so that this tribal party stops misleading the people. We all know, especially engineers that a road network like this one with its estimated load capacity (carrying heavy machinery) to the economic heart of Zambia will cost not less than USD1 million per kilometer. Now when you consider that its a dual carriage way with other considerations like by-passes, you would quickly understand that USD1.2 Billion is well within the budget estimate. There many things that are taken into consideration such as terrain, durability, lifespan,…
Who are you trying to con…..a longer and better dual carriage motorway from mombasa is costing $750 million….
contd
There many things that are taken into consideration such as terrain, durability, lifespan, safety etc when constructing an economic road like this one. Why has EIZ kept quiet and not made a statement so that HH should stop lying to the public? Can we conclude that its either EIZ in its current form is dead, dis-functional and or its pro UPND? Zambia needs this project like yesterday it Government must even accelerate its development because its an economic game changer, period!
No local consulting firm can handle a US$1.2bln project, cos. the likes of zulu burrow,ng’andu consultants, are all technical drawing companies, no body including their boss has atleast a masters in ROADS so not competent. NICHOLAS will control the 1.2bln well no THEFT, IT SHALL BE VALUE FOR MONEY, YES 30 JOBS IS OK A CONSULTING FIRM DOESNT EVEN NEED SUCH A BIG NUMBER OF PEOPLE COS. WORK IS SO TECHNICAL AND ZAMBIANS ARE ILLITERATES
My take on this is that an important road will be made in Zambia. Kudos to the government and leadership. I am glad that Humpty Dumpty Tribal party cannot discount or ignore what this government has achieved in such a short period of time. Keep it up GRA.
Sharon has gone for a bath today and sent Victor
I think UPND chaps are the most dull people I have ever come across on the African continent.
Sharon Have you washed your self ?
Talk of being thick….sharon you win the cup.
Sharon, = as thick as P1g Sh.1t, or 2 short planks.
GRZ
This is stealing by lungu and PF. The timing and price suggests the cost of this over inflated road will pay for their campaigns comming to 2021…
Okay as long as it’s only the design and technical aspects that the Irish are doing then it’s ok because for the construction we already have a deal with the Chinese and they already have our account numbers abroad where to deposit our share of the added amount.
I will let jj and Spaka debate this one. Who knows maybe jj is a subcontractor to the Irish firm, which is no problem with me.
Since the Kenyans are building a longer motorway that costs less , the corrupt theif strikes again…..
There is tuber food in Zambia! It is so sweet! Downside, it cannot be straightened. Sorry I was away during your HalLuscinations and Hadreams including HaIllusions and HaDelusions! Leave Victor Halone! It is hard to straighten a mental disease and a prejudice that runs in the bloodline! Everyone who was hunting for me or wanted to hear from me, please confirm to me that if I throw a stone at random at any of the HaNegatives mental patients above the probability by 1 is that it will fall on a member of HaTribes Horganization.
Nose Demons don’t steal too. They just practice HaTribalism!
I would rather have “Thieves” developing Zambia than have Thieves banking money in Panama and trying to sell Zambia!
I agree with u Shalom..talking with evil hidden in their hearts will never develop our nation.God is clever n knows every heart of these politicians n company.. Stay blessed
Let’s play our politics with great contribution regardless of our political affiliation bcoz no local contractor with great degrees in engineering can handle $1.2billion..they ve failed us many times.don’t blame political leaders anyhow bcoz even the most corrupt in civil services ar the so called graduates n the blame ends on the President n government which is not all truth.. Let’s our tongues vomit brilliance contributions not hurt