Expensive roads breaking apart worrying-Mutati

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:50:43 +0000

By NATION REPORTER

Some of the damaged sections of the roads in Matero during the rainy season MINISTER of Finance Felix Mutati has cautioned contractors against betraying Government with poor road works. Mr Mutati says it is saddening that some of the roads are breaking apart barely three years after construction.

He said Government is not getting a return of out of its massive investments into some of the road projects because of the poor workmanship.

He urged both local and foreign contractors to adhere to contractual specifications and ensure they value the confidence Government places in them when given contracts by delivering quality products.

“The quality of roads is a major concern. Some of the roads that are under three or four years are breaking apart. It is actually worrying that we are building expensive roads and they are breaking apart,” Mr Mutati said. He said Government is working out measures aimed at inserting a minimum guarantee clause in the contract so that the money could be returned until the expiry of the period. “We are certainly, through the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure [Ronald Chitotela], going to institute the minimum guarantee clause, so that we return the money until that minimum guarantee period has expired as one of the immediate measure we can do in the road sector. “It is worrying that we are building the roads and they are breaking apart. We will not allow this to continue,” Mr Mutati said. He said contractors undertaking various projects have an obligation to deliver quality projects to be guaranteed of securing more projects from Government. Mr Mutati said Government is spending a lot of money on infrastructure development and will not allow contractors to betray its trust through shoddy works. He also called for close supervision of all projects by people entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring contractors adhere to their contractual obligations.