.KAMBWILI

By GRACE CHAILE –

MINISTER of Sports Chishimba Kambwili has announced that all the remaining Morocco 2015 Africa Cup qualifier games will be played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola to avoid disturbing works at Lusaka’s Heroes Stadium.
“All the games for this year will not be played at this stadium. I don’t want to take the risk of delaying the works because hosting a game here means the contractor has to put works on hold. Maybe the games in November but for October, Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola is the venue,” he said.
Kambwili also warned Shangai Construction Company that he will not accept any excuses for failure to complete works at Heroes Stadium Car Park by mid October.
Speaking when he toured progress of road works at the stadium yesterday, Kambwili was not happy with the rate at which building of the car Park expected to be complete by September 30, 2014 was moving and therefore extended Shangai’s contract to mid October.
Shangai construction manager Oscar Bell, however, attributed the failure to complete the Car Park on time due to lack of funds.
Bell requested for an extension to mid October with the promise of finishing all the works before the official opening of the stadium on October 24.
Kambwili said that the Ministry of Finance last week released K1.2 million out of the K5 million owed to them.
“I am not impressed with the progress made on the Car park. Ministry of Finance through Road Development Agency released K1.2 million out of the K5 million. We are in talks with the ministry over the remaining balance. You have asked for an extension to mid October and therefore will not accept any excuses for failure to complete works on the car park. We are racing with time and finish one of construction works should be done before the official opening,” he said.
He expressed happiness with the works done so far on access roads and commended the sub- contractor Oriental Quarries for the commitment.
Oriental Quarries Road Division manager Toppie Hoven assured the minister of completing works of all access roads by September 30.
The minister asked Permanent Secretary Agness Musunga to come up with a committee that would look at up lifting the standards of the stadium such as tree planting before the official opening.
“Madam PS, come up with a committee that will be in charge of up-lifting the face of this place. Engage Lusaka City council and other stakeholders to ensure that this place is ready before official opening. Many dignitaries have been invited to the opening and therefore, cannot risk a shabby look of this place,” he said.