By MUNAMBEZA MUWANEI –
SPECIAL Assistant to the President for Project Implementation and Monitoring Lucky Mulusa has called for the termination of a contract awarded to African Contractors due to shoddy works on Choma projects.
African Contractors had been awarded a contract to construct medium-cost houses, but when Mr Mulusa inspected the houses he discovered substandard material was being used.
Mr Mulusa, who was in Choma to inspect Government projects at the weekend, was disappointed to discover that the ceiling board in one of the newly-built houses was falling apart.
He could not hide his disappointment and wondered what the building engineer was doing to have allowed such works.
He questioned why the chief planner and the building engineer allowed the contractor to use substandard material.
Mr Mulusa also expressed disappointment at the quality of window and door frames used in the housing units and wondered why the water pipes were left protruding.
The contractor was not even on site to answer to some of the concerns raised, as even the plastering of the walls was poor.
“This is not right, it’s shocking. Where is the building inspector because there’s no excuse to allow this kind of work.
“There should be a good reason why this contract can’t be terminated because the contractor has no value for money, the ceiling board is falling apart,” a visibility disappointed Mr Mulusa said.
The construction of the medium-cost houses started at the same time with the high-cost units which were being built by another foreign contractor and had been completed.
The high-cost units were only awaiting electrification and water installation.
Mr Mulusa called on local contractors to do their level best when they were given projects unlike the works being exhibited in Choma.
Provincial planner Linda Siwale said the Government was up to date with payments and wondered why the contractor was not completing the works.
Mr Mulusa inspected the high and low-cost housing units and also checked the works on the Government offices and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation offices.
Earlier before the tour, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba said the delay to complete the Government offices and the housing units was a huge cost because officers were always travelling to and from Livingstone.