Govt warns contractors against shoddy work
Ministry of Transport and Public Works has warned contractors, involved in construction of bridges to improve public road network in districts, against compromising quality.
Speaking after the launch of construction works for Nsuwazi Bridge in Chipungu Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mbawera in Thyolo, Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango, said any contractor implicated in shoddy work will be blacklisted.
The ministry and Roads Authority (RA), with funds from the fuel levy, have allocated K241 million to the project to improve the road network in the area.
Mhango said: “Emphasis is to attain standard quality, delivery within time frames and budgets. If contractors do not conform to these three principles, we will deregister and arrest them because that becomes fraud. The honeymoon to get easy money is over because this is taxpayers’ money.”
He appealed to communities to own the projects through monitoring contractors in their areas.
Thyolo South West Member of Parliament Allan Chiyembekeza (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP) asked the contractor to execute professionalism, saying the project is key to the area’s development.
“I commend government for striving to improve our road network for easy access to social amenities. We believe the contractor will give standard work and employ artisanal labourers from this area for people to enjoy one of the benefits of the project,” he said.
In his remarks, group village head (GVH) Mlonda said communities are proud of the government as there will be easy crossing on Nsuwazi River throughout the year.
In line with Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS) III, government is implementing a K2 billion project to construct reinforced concrete bridges in rural areas as medium term strategy for wealth creation through sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development.
