President Hakainde Hichilema has directed the North-western provincial administration to pursue all contractors that have abandoned construction works despite government having paid them.
Mr Hichilema said law enforcement agencies should move in and investigate any contractor paid by government but has not completed the construction works.
He said there is need to find a way of recovering all the money paid to contractors who have however , not done their work.
Speaking when he toured the Manyinga Civic Centre site in Manyinga district yesterday, Mr Hichilema said every contractor that has not delivered despite being paid by government should not be allowed to undertake any government projects in future.
The Head of State said government will not protect any officer or contractor found misusing public resources through shoddy works and incomplete projects.
Mr. Hichilema further said his government wants to ensure that all public resources are prudently utilised, adding that no individual should benefit at the expense of Zambians.
And North-western Province Minister, Robert Lihefu, said the construction of Manyinga police station has stalled since 2015 when the contractor deserted the site.
Mr. Lihefu said this is despite the contractor being paid in full.
He says a new contractor has since been identified to complete the abandoned works which include the construction of the police station and office blocks.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema has said government will work towards improving the welfare of chiefs without segregation.
Mr Hichilema said all chiefs, regardless of where they are, will receive allowances, be given transport and have decent accommodation.
He said he is aware that there are chiefs who were not receiving allowances because they were deemed to belong to the opposition political parties during the previous regime.
The President was speaking in Manyinga yesterday when he called on Senior Chief Sikufele at his palace.
“Your Royal Highness, we will work on allowances because some of you were not receiving, transport we shall provide and also improve your palaces,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said his government will work with all traditional leaders in order to foster development in all chiefdoms.
He said all parts of the country must receive an equal share of development hence the need for chiefs to work with government as partners.
“We will not segregate any chief, we will work with all Royal Highnesses regardless of who they supported before 2021,”Mr Hichilema said.
And the Head of State has said the 2022 Constituency Development Fund (CDF) that will not be used by December this year will not be taken back to treasury but be carried forward to the following year.
He said the delays that characterised the disbursement of the funds will be resolved to ensure local authorities access the funds quickly.
” Come next year, all these delays will not be there. We will work on them and ensure that money is accessed quickly,” Mr Hichilema said.
And senior chief Sikufele thanked government for the free education policy and the many job opportunities which government has created.
The traditional leader said the free education policy has seen a number of children get back to school.
“We are happy with the free education that your government has given us. A lot of our children have gone back to school,” the chief said.
He has since pledged to work with government in developing the chiefdom.
President Hichilema is in North-western province on a two-day working visit.
Judas Iscariot…
Forward……….2031
we were told law enforcers will work independently now its in public directing or instracting them to work , such directives show the incopitance of the law enforcers
He did not tell them who to prosecute. He, as their commander, is ordering them to do their jobs and prosecute law breakers. There is a difference.
@ Ras Natty : OFcourse you can see it that way cos you are a pf cadre and PF cadres can only see things from one angle-and that is the PF cadre street angle. Thanks anyway for displaying your mediocricy here.
Thank you Esther. The president is the head of the police, as he is the head of the army. He can tell the police to eradicate poaching for example; that is not only within his power, but it is also his responsibility. What he cannot do, or should not do, is to tell the police to arrest, a Zambian citizen, named Muntu Mwanazambia, for killing a zebra, for example. There is a difference between the two.
Your police will only pursue contractors connected to the PF otherwise you are shouting at a blank wall.
By the way when are you going to give the same directive against your cadres who are attacking journalists
Forward 2031……….
Biiterness will get some bloggers no where
except make us more determined to bury PF
Brian mundubile got a lot free money without working on projects at all
You will find most of the contractors are linked to PF officials
That is why I think some people here, who are related to such criminals, are now beginning to cry
Lots of unscrupulous contractors robbing people daily, get them before the situation gets out of hand.