Construction industry tipped on import substitution
Stakeholders in the construction sector have been challenged to develop a roadmap on local production of materials that would substitute importation of construction products.
Minister of Transport and Public Infrastructure Jacob Hara made the call at the opening of the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) Annual International Conference in Mangochi on Wednesday where over 200 engineers are deliberating on how to achieve a quality driven construction industry.
He said over reliance on imported construction products, is failing the sector stressing the need to empower innovative businesses that have shown potential of producing materials like cement and recycling scrap metals for import substitution.
Hara said: “I’m telling NCIC, Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) and technocrats from my ministry and Ministry of Trade and Industry that from this meeting you should come up with a roadmap on those targets achieving this objective within the shortest period.
“Yes we might be producing cement but if more raw materials are imported then we are not registering progress. I’m glad to have seen some companies recycling scrap metals for production of metals that can be used in construction as import substitution in construction but that innovation need to be promoted in a well-coordinated way.”
Meanwhile, Ministry of Transport and Public Works Principle Secretary Engineer David Mzandu said there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed to ensure the country achieves quality driven construction industry by 2063.
The 7th International construction conference comes at a time Malawi’s notable construction projects delay due to forex scarcity or weak currency related cost complications as most materials are imported.
In a separate interview, NCIC chief executive officer Engineer Gerald Khonje said delegates will at the end of the conference on Friday, come up with a resolution which will be a benchmark for the said roadmap.
The conference which is themed Innovate, Adapt and Excel: A quality driven construction industry, has attracted about 230 delegates from Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Kingdom.
