Govt to audit 20 percent sub-contract policy
GOVERNMENT will soon carry out an audit of the 20 percent sub-contract policy throughout Zambia starting with Copperbelt and Lusaka Provinces, says State House special assistant to the President for project implementation and monitoring Andrew Chellah
Mr Chellah said he together with the National Council for Construction (NCC) would tour Copperbelt Province in the next two weeks to ensure that the 20 percent sub-contract policy was adhered to by all contractors as directed by President Edgar Lungu.
During his two-day working visit to the Copperbelt on Wednesday, President Lungu tasked Mr Chellah to address the concerns over the government’s policy of foreign contractors sub-contracting 20 per cent to local contractors.
The Head of State also instructed Mr Chellah to find out why there was a shortage of water supply by Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company in Chingola.
In an interview with the Daily Nation yesterday, Mr Chellah vowed that he would not leave any stone unturned to ensure the policy was fully complied with as directed by the President.
Mr Chellah warned that foreign contractors who would fail to sub-contract major Government-funded projects would face the wrath of the law.
He said the President was extremely passionate about ensuring that Zambians are empowered through the 20 percent sub-contract policy which will not just enhance their skills but also give them financial gain and said failure to adhere to his directive was tantamount to undermining him.
He said Government expected to find Zambian sub-contractors at each major Statefunded project as directed by President Lungu.
Mr Chellah further said he together with the NCC will not leave the Province until the 20 percent sub-contracts were signed and given to the locals.
And Mr Chella said during their audit tour, they would also engage the Labour Commissioner to normalize the situation on some of the projects toured which were paying Zambian workers as little as K 17 per day.
Meanwhile, Mr Chellah praised a local contractor, Copperfield constructing company for having constructed a high quality Garnerton toll plaza and its good workmanship.
He also expressed happiness that President Lungu toured Garden court hotel in Kitwe which is the K460 million NAPSA-funded project, where local contractors were awarded contracts to the tune of K200million.