ZAMBIAN contractors owe it to the government to ensure that they do a professional job when they are awarded contracts.
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This is the only way they can repay the faith that Government has placed in them by entrusting major projects to them.
It therefore makes sad reading about the situation that has been reported in Zambezi where a building had its roof blown off even before it could be handed over to the government.
No wonder that the Zambezi District Commissioner, Mr Simeon Machayi has bemoaned the poor workmanship exhibited by some contractors in the area.
Mr Machayi said it is unfortunate that some contractors have continued to exhibit poor workmanship whenever they are awarded a government contract.
He expressed his disappointment after inspecting the newly constructed nursing school whose toilet roof has been ripped off by strong winds before it has even been handed over to the government.
“This is what we are talking about, the school is scheduled to be handed over to the government soon. Look how can a roof be blown off before the school is handed over?
“This is a waste of resources on the government part and we will not entertain this kind of work,” Mr Machayi said.
We agree.
Local contractors are expected to win a lot of contracts, particularly in the construction sector with the increased and decentralised Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
This is because almost all constituencies have in their development plans the construction or expansion of existing schools and other public facilities.
And in line with Government guidelines, all works under the CDF must be done by local contractors in the various constituencies. Only in situations where local expertise cannot be sourced locally will contracts be floated to outsiders.
With these incentives that guarantees more business openings to contractors, it is only prudent that those fortunate to be awarded contract ensure they do a professional job.
Doing so will guarantee them more jobs and in the process create and maintain employment in their localities.
Mr Machayi noted that few contractors have met the government’s expectations when awarded contracts. He warned that if they do not improve, they risk not being awarded any contracts.
In carrying out their contracts, they should be looking at the bigger picture, that of growing out of their constituencies to bid for bigger contracts at national level.
For as Mr Machayi noted, contractors who do not improve risk not being awarded any contracts, adding that few contractors have met the government’s expectations when awarded contracts.
Had the Zambezi contractor done a diligent job, the roof at the almost complete nursing school would have survived the strong winds.
This must indeed be frustrating to any government official when public resources are lost through shoddy works.
“This is a waste of resources on the government part and we will not entertain this kind of work,” Mr Machayi said.
Yes, the only explanation for the Zambezi fiasco is that the contractor failed to meet his side of the bargain and has failed to meet his contractual obligations.
Such contractors should be written off after all, they have been given a chance to show what they can do and have failed to betray the trust put in them.
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