NHA a failed project
TENANTS at Findeco House, Zambia's tallest building, are concerned over the National Housing Authority (NHA)’s poor service provision at the property.
The tenants spoken to complained that every year they appealed to NHA to improve on services but to no avail.
They charged that the building still had eratic water supply and have made no effort towards improved sanitation following the cholera outbreak.
One of the tenants James Mubita said his office did not have running water yet NHA always demanded rentals on time.
“We have tried as tenants to talk to National Housing Authority management and explain the challenges we face on a daily basis but nothing has been done. Year in year out we have more challenges arising and NHA does nothing about it and keeps on increasing rentals without improving its services,” Mr. Mubita said.
He charged that the current NHA management had failed to run Findeco House and wondered why government was not intervening in the matter.
Another tenant Chileshe Mulenga complained that the building had dilapidated equipment, which was not serving its its client and their businesses.
Mr. Mulenga said lifts at the building had been down for four days and tenants, including those with offices on top floors, were forced to use stairs. “We pay a lot of money to NHA. When it is month-end they ensure they collect their money but they do not want to improve on their services. For four days we have been using stairs because the lifts are down,” he complained.
Mr. Mulenga charged that NHA’s failure to even fix lifts was an indication that the authority had failed to run the building.
“This poor service delivery by NHA is seriously affecting our businesses. Imagine an office without running water in this era of cholera. As if that is not enough, we have elderly people working here and they cannot manage to use stairs.
“They have been forced to close their offices yet NHA wants to collect rentals at the month-end,” he said.
Other tenants called on Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Ronald Chitotela to intervene and change NHA management. Efforts to get a comment from NHA proved futile.