Infrastructure development on track, says Govt
By ANDREW MUKOMA THE Patriotic Front Government is on course in terms of infrastructure development in the country, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Liomba Mwanagala has said.
Mr. Mwangala said this was in line with the party’s promises contained in its manifesto on remedying the infrastructure sector including the rehabilitation and upgrading of the existing road network, including feeder roads in all the districts.
He observed that government had realised that infrastructuredevelopment had the potential to create employment for many Zambians.
“However, its potential had not been realised because of lack of a policy framework that guides the construction sector on how government’s blueprint in creating employment through this sector can be actualised,” he said.
This was contained in a speech read on his behalf by newly appointed Southern Province deputy permanent secretary Kennedy Mubanga at the policy consultative meeting on labour based technologies and sensitisation programme for small and medium contractors in Southern Province held at Livingstone Lodge. “It’s out of this realisation that government through the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development and the National Council for Construction (NCC) with the help of the world bank has developed a
white paper which it intends to adopt into policy on mainstreaming labour based technologies in the construction sector ion the country,” said Mr. Mwanagala.
The PS noted that the labour-based technology policy once adopted would clearly specify which works should be executed manually using human labour.
Mr. Mwanagala said government was aware that it was not enough making policies but the key was on how the policies adopted were implemented.
“It is therefore, the determination of the ruling PF government to ensure that the policies being made reflect the aspirations of the Zambian people and are made and implemented efficiently in a transparent and accountable manner.
Meanwhile, Medium and Small contractors in Southern Province have cried foul over the way some contracts were being awarded by relevant institutions.National Medium and Small Scale Contractors secretary Joseph Mulowa has charged that his members were not benefiting from the major infrastructure projects taking place in the province adding that those benefiting were either coming from Lusaka or Copperbelt. “The people who have gotten contracts in Southern Province are from Lusaka and Copperbelt…they have dominated the province and this has made the local contractors to suffer.
“Year in, year out, we pay subscription to NCC, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), NAPSA and PACRA yet they have no jobs,” he said.
“We want you (DPS) to convey our massage to the provincial minister and even to President Edgar Lungu, who is a listening President to consider empowering the local contractors. Local contractors have certificates even from ILO but they are not seeing the benefits,” said Mr. Mulowa.
“Please consider our plight as local contractors in Southern
province, let government offer projects to the locals and not only to Chinese,” he said.