Minister of Infrastructure Housing and Urban Development Charles Milupi has called for the review of the contracts awarded to China Geo-Engineering Corporation which has abandoned a number of projects in the country.
Mr. Milupi says Government wants to work with contractors that are ready to work and deliver work.
The minister, who checked on works along the Great North Road, is disappointed to learn that China Geo-Engineering Corporation had abandoned works even after being paid a larger amount of money than what is being owed.
Mr. Milupi said the contractor is only owed 3 million Kwacha and was paid 14 million Kwacha from the 17 million Kwacha for the maintenance works which include pothole patching and rehabilitation on some sections of the road.
He expressed concern with the state of the road as it has the potential to cause accidents.
Mr. Milupi said the Road Development Agency – RDA- must look into the contracts because China Geo-Engineering Corporation has other infrastructure projects they have abandoned across the country.
And RDA Board Chairperson Mulchand Kuntawala said he will meet China Geo-Engineering Corporation this week to review the contracts.
Meanwhile, RDA Muchinga Province Regional Manager Chabala Pandeki said the region has the capacity to patch the potholes on the stretch and carry out the maintenance works.
Effects of PF chipantepante will still be felt atleast for the whole year this year. There was a lot of damage done. And those cadres saying “Stop blaming and deliver your promises” – which viable promise can be delivered with such roads? Esp. If the contractor was also paid upfront – who does that? Do u even at your house pay a carpenter/garden full amount before they complete their works? You must be mad cadres
At the moment, their is no viable foundation to deliver any viable promise on. Even those completed malls and other roads, you ll find that they of utterly mediocre quality and all foreign owned- some Chinese own certain roads there,so when toll gates collect some money goes to China, cos that’s the agreement they had with PF. Completed hospitals are of very poor engineering too & above all standing like White elephants with empty shelves – no medicines. Now UPND promised health care, by far can they achieve that in an environment left like this. Therefore, they ve to go one/two steps backwards, in order to go forward.
Even the new Levy Mwanawasa Hospital. Go in and see the type of infrastructure that is there. Maintaining it will cost a lot of money. The construction was sub standards. Even UTH which was built years ago is far stable
The best thing is to summon the one who certified the completions of the projects. Ministers let alone the president rely on site engineers… you can’t be all over the place to ensure quality. I like the mines…90 percent of end users are proud of their work… they don’t like to be associated with mediocrity. I briefly joined one Council… the reaction towards me was very hostile simply because I reported for work early, did my job to satisfaction….six weeks later I rejoined the mines.
Mr Minister you are a businessman yourself you say this company had abandoned the project after being paid K14 million out of K17 m…what you dont tell us is that how long govt delayed in paying the contractor, that amount means nothing if the contractor has hired machinery and labourers doing nothing as there is no funds for fuel, bitumen and gravel for 6 months. Who pays for that?
Deja Vu – Do they mines bid for GRZ or RDA contracts? MInes normally pay for their own works with their money hence the no nonsense approach would you mess about if you were building your house?
#5 Tarino Orange..we also hire contractors for various projects and when it comes to certification we make sure the job is up to specification. There are a lot of projects the mines source out sometimes even drilling is sourced out depending on a situation.