Front PageNational News

‘Ghost’ project draining millions

  • K63M spent, but no progress
  • Two groundbreaking ceremonies witnessed

The much-hyped Mzuzu Youth Centre project continues to drain millions of taxpayers’ money with officials claiming as much as K30 million in allowances in a month, yet construction, expected to commence in 2008 and complete in 2016 is yet to begin.

Mussa leads proceedings during one of the two groundbreaking ceremonies

While records show that K63 million has been spent so far on the project and despite receiving budgetary allocations every year for the past eight years, a visit to the site shows nothing on the ground.

But the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development has maintained that the project remains on course and construction works will begin in few days’ time.

The Mzuzu Youth Centre project was launched in 2008 ahead of the 2009 election campaign and has so far witnessed two groundbreaking ceremonies under the current DPP administration —at both functions—the promise was the same, that the centre would be constructed ‘soon’.

In the current financial year, K200 million has been set aside for the project, with about K30 million spent on allowances in a month for purposes of project redesigning. This follows poor initial designs which compelled Capital Hill technocrats to revisit their plans, according to loose minutes we have seen.

A report by Deputy Director of Planning in the Ministry Macleod Muyepa said the changes had to be made because the earlier drawings left out key aspects of the centre.

“What has necessitated the redesigning of the building is that the current drawings have compromised and left out key aspects of a youth centre and that most spaces are two small to accommodate required numbers in many aspects of youth activities.

“The review team also noted that the government would not be interested in building a small facility, especially for a region which is lacking youth development and sports facilities,” reads, in part, Muyepa’s report.

According to a financial report we have seen, K30 million was spent between October and November last year.

The breakdown of activities include 10 night allowances for a team of 18 people for consolidation of project brief and development of preliminary designs, 10 nights for development of detailed preliminary design schemes and five nights for bid evaluation.

The information seen also claims there was an outstanding payment of K2.8 million to Mzuzu Filling Station for fuel meant for a grader which cleared the ground and K3.7 million to Private Vehicle Hire Engineering Services (PVHES).

In an interview with Nation on Sunday, Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development principal secretary, who approved the K30 million expenditure, Joseph Mwandidya, confirmed stopping payment to Mzuzu Filling Station and PVHES for lack of evidence and also wondered how K2.8 million would be spent on fuel to grade ‘a small piece’ of land.

He, however, defended allowances claimed for designing exercise, saying for purposes of concentration, the team needed to work away from the office; hence the expenditure in allowances.

“I stopped payment because there is no supporting evidence. Which vehicle was hired from PVHES what is the registration number, which vehicle utilised the fuel, when and for what purpose? Up to now I am yet to get answers to these questions,” said Mwandidya.

PVHEs director Jomo Mkandawire has confirmed that the ministry has an outstanding bill of K3.8 million.

Ministry of Finance spokesperson Davis Sado says the delay in construction of MYC has nothing to do with Treasury but the line ministry, which has delayed due to land wrangles.

He said Treasury is ready to disburse allocated funds if the line ministry and the department of building identify a contractor.

Asked why the ministry appears to be spending more money on project, Mwandidya said issues of construction designing fall under the department of buildings which is better placed to respond why they chose working outside Lilongwe.

He stressed that the project is now on course as they are expected to identify a contractor in few days to come.

Records, however, show that funds for bid advertisement in the newspaper were approved long time ago and allowances for bid evaluation, award of contract and site handover to contractor were already released about five months ago.

“We are concerned also that the project has delayed than expected. But we are now certain the works will commence soon. We have reworked on earlier designs and Bill of Quantities. Very soon we should be able to identify the contractor and have the works start,” added Mwandidya.

This is not the first time funds for MYC have been allocated and disbursed without progress on the ground.

In 2010/11 and 2011/12 financial years, K50 million was disbursed and spent for designing works, but the actual work never commenced.

After the current administration was ushered into power in 2014, there was fresh hope for the project after K200 million was allocated and part of the funds were used for the groundbreaking ceremony presided over by the then Minister responsible for youth and sports Grace Chiumia.

In 2016/2017 financial year, K50 million was set aside in the budget, which led to another groundbreaking ceremony with Henry Mussa as the minister responsible for Youth and Sports.

It was at this function that officials  admitted that the Mzuzu Youth Centre development had become a ‘ghost’ project, with Mussa adding that it was ‘high time government walked the talk’.

“We have talked enough on this project and it is time to walk the talk. I am a serious person. We cannot be here doing the ground breaking ceremony and do nothing because it will be a crime,” Mussa told The Nation in 2016.

The delays in construction of MYC have led to frustration and lost hope to the youth in Mzuzu, who suspect that the project could simply be a cash-cow to some people according to Youth and Society executive director Charles Kajoloweka.

In a telephone interview, national coordinator for Construction Sector Transparency Initiative Lyford Gideon appealed to government to be open on such projects to avoid speculation.

He said it is surprising that a project has taken so long to start when funding is made available.

Ministry of Transport spokesperson James Chakwera asked for more time to comment on the issue.

Related Articles

Back to top button