Local contractors pledge quality work

…once govt resolves gaps in 20 p.c. policy

LOCAL contractors have pledged to deliver quality work in national projects once the 20 percent sub-contracting policy is refined.

Chairman of the newly-formed Copperbelt local contractors Task force John Chilupula said once the 20 percent contracting policy is refined, local contractors would be able to make reasonable returns and deliver quality work.

he said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that President Edgar Lungu’s decision to instruct his Special Assistant for Project implementation Andrew Chella to resolve the sticky 20 percent sub-contracting policy was a clear indication that issues would unfold favourably.

‘’We have confidence in Mr Chella, we know he is more than equal to the task, he will resolve the issues in the 20 per cent subcontracting policy. If the issue is resolved, we will ensure that we deliver qualilty works whenever we are given contracts.

“The issues of shoddy works and non-performance will be over among local contractors. As a task force, we will 100 percent monitor the works of local contractors. We will not betray the confidence owhich our President has shown in us, ‘’ Mr Chilupula said.

Last week in Chingola, President Lungu tasked Mr Chella to address the concerns over the government’s policy of foreign contractors sub-contracting 20 percent to local firms.

Local contractors had demanded that the 20 percent which is being sub-contracted to local companies by foreign contractors should be de-linked from the main contract.

The Task force has also demanded that local contractors should be given bigger volumes of work and also be given advance payment before they could start any project.

Mr Chilupula said the local contractors should be negotiating with the line ministry, the main contractor and the supervising agency.