Engineers advised against shoddy works
GOVERNMENT is considering reviewing the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) Act so that engineers and local contractors can punished for undertaking shoddy works.
Infrastructure Development and Housing Minister Ronald Chitotela charged that the washing away of bridges and other infrastructure was as a result of shoddy works by engineers as consultants and contractors.
Mr. Chitotela challenged engineers in the country to meet the expectations of Zambians, saying failure to ensure the nation developed would be blamed on them.
The minister was speaking during the official opening of the 2018 Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Livingstone on Friday.
Mr. Chitotela observed that it was from this background that engineers should support the government, adding that engineering was about innovation and competitiveness which was the theme for the meeting.
“We don’t need to wait until calamities occur like what happened in Luapula where a bridge has been washed away…we need to do that which people of Zambia want,” he said.
“As government we believe that infrastructure is an essential driver of competitiveness which is critical for ensuring the effective functioning of any economy. In an effort to improve business environment, government has set out to make the country more attractive by enhancing infrastructure development and that is why we need professionals such as your selves (engineers) to help actualise government efforts by contributing to the development of the country,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, outgoing EIZ president Engineer George Sitali, noted that it was embarrassing to hear of shoddy works being reported in various parts of the country and also when engineers were being told that they had failed.
Eng. Sitali said time had come for engineers to rise up and make Zambia competitive in the world by making themselves available to offer advice to the government.
“It is important that engineers put their minds together and play their role in developing this nation… We should also make headways in finding solutions to problems facing the engineering sector in Zambia.
It will be dishonour if we fail to do this,” he said.
Meanwhile, Federation of African Engineering Organisation (FAEO) president Eng. Julius Riungu has wondered why Africa as a continent has the highest number of foreign engineers as compared to any other continent in the world.
Eng. Julius Riungu said that from his understanding, it was as a result of lack of discipline among African engineers coupled with lack of innovative ideas, competiveness and zeal.