Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Charles Milupi says the New Dawn Government has stopped the tendency of paying contractors without seriously evaluating the work done.
Mr. Milupi said paying contractors before works are done has contributed to the K127 debt the Government has accumulated in the construction sector.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development said in the past companies with political connections were being awarded Government deals even though they did not have the capacity to deliver.
Mr. Milupi said the UPND Government will ensure that only Zambians who have the capacity to deliver are awarded contracts in the construction sector.
“Why do we have a K127 billion construction sector debt? Too often, people who were politically connected to the party in power registered construction companies, and they were awarded contracts. This is despite these individuals not having had the capacity to deliver on the specifications of those works,” he said.
“Now, that way of doing things does not help that contractor and it does not help the country either because most of the time, the works that were delivered were shoddy,” the Minister stated in facebook post on Tuesday evening.
Mr. Milupi said no payment will be made to a contractor without certifying that the works have been delivered at the right quality and specifications.
“Going forward, the New Dawn government will ensure that only Zambians who have the capacity to deliver will be awarded contracts. No IPC (Interim Payment Certificate) will be issued until the works have been approved by the Road Development Agency, the National Council for Construction, and the Ministry,” he said.
Mr. Milupi added: “In short, no payment will be made without certifying that the works have been delivered at the right quality and specifications.”
Mr. Milupi also preached on transparency saying it was key in the new Government’s core road management through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
He took time to explain the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, which the New Dawn administration is embracing.
Mr. Milupi responded to public concerns regarding Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, which the New Dawn administration is using especially in the construction sector.
“Transparency forms cornerstone of the New Dawn Government’s core road management using Public-Private Partnership procurement model. This morning, we would like to thank Mr Moola Mushenywa, who yesterday requested us to publicly explain the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Model, which the New Dawn administration is strongly opting for in sustainably managing the country’s core road network,” Mr. Milupi stated.
“In simple terms, a PPP is a contract between a public body and a private organisation. PPPs bring together the expertise and resources of the two sectors with the intention of providing services or infrastructure at a better value for money. Usually, the public sector engages the private sector to construct facilities or to supply equipment. The private agencies then own and operate the facilities or equipment, or engage separate bodies to deliver the public service for an agreed duration.”
He added: “But in the Zambian context, your government will take sufficient due diligence and scrutiny of every proposed PPP procurement in the road sector before signing on. We will, with all stakeholders, ensure that PPP projects are procured at the right price, delivered at the agreed quality, and completed within the agreed time, a key focus of the New Dawn’s public procurement approach.”
“In short, transparency and accountability, as has been demonstrated, will be the cornerstone of all PPP procurements tailored towards the management of the core road network, a model that will allow us free up resources from the ‘huge’ road infrastructure budget to the social sectors like health, education and social protection,” Mr. Milupi concluded.
Thanks UPND, thanks for breaking away from the PFs way of doing things. Lets bring normalcy to this industry
Let’s wait and see.
Free at last , thankyou, I have no doubt that Zambia is about to shine really high going forward.
The down payment was meant to empower Zambians who did not have access to expensive financing……….
10 years is surely enough time to have established reputable zambian companies in the construction sector ……….
As the Minster has alluded to it was free for all Zambians connected to PF or cadres used to be awarded contracts and in the end they had no capacity to deliver and ended up selling contractors to other entities under the pretex of sub contracting. By the time the main contractor found a sub contractor the implementation period would have elapsed. On shoddy works there are several examples along Mwapona and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula roads in Woodlands Extension, the drainage was awarded to a cadre and the guy took almost 3 years to complete but today as I am penning this article there is no drainage to talk about. I hope this will not just end as mere talking shop.
Milupi all that you have said is the requirement when implementing a project. Project managers and supervisors are employed to ensure compliance with specifications and to check the job is done as agreed before payments are made. We expect you to strategise better. Put in place measures that will enhance transparency. All tenders will be given to Zambian contrators, you have informed us, is that UPND vision? If it is, why then, do you want to give Zesco, mines and other asserts to foreigners. Your talk is not aligned to IMF directives. Your talk and behaviour is about enriching your selves.
You have our support sir!! Things should be done in a different way this time around.. why do we lose such colossal sums when we have depleted infrastructure everywhere throughout the country.
#Notograft
The most respectable minister and Zambian man.
Milupi has never been insulted.
The New Clique
PF ILLS SLOWLY BEING CORRECTED
IPC are paid upon inspection, so please this is not news , i though wo milupi u know the proceduree alas u dont ATASE
Why should we praise these guys for just saying that they doing what is wrtten in the Govt procedures on the other hand they are single sourcing and awarding contracts to Vasco’s friends and husbands of his cabinet ministers?
Good point, which entity is responsible to monitor their. Completion of their work orders? Should the completion be satisfying, no full payment must be paid to them, until well completed.