Collapse of K29m renovations wrecked Nkhata Bay Jetty

Lakeshore communities have the devaluation of the kwacha to blame for the collapse of Nkhata Bay Jetty early last month.

The jetty, which was wrecked by heavy Vuma winds early November, was last year earmarked for K29 million (US$71 782) maintenance but the works were halted after government and the contractor failed to agree on revised rates necessitated by the 40 percent devaluation of the local currency in June.

In an interview, Nkhata Bay port manager Francis Makalani described the botched works as the first ever massive maintenance which would have saved the bridge at the port opened in 1957 from succumbing to the harsh westerly if completed.

However, the official who diagnosed the jetty with old age and lack of comprehensive maintenance soon after the collapse referred all questions on the fine details of the prematurely terminated contract to director of Marine Service Laston Makudzula.

In an interview on Tuesday, Makudzula confirmed that a strict evaluation of bids a contract worth K29 million was awarded to North Works of Mzuzu who pocketed about K24 million (US$59 405) but were compelled to pull out due to the rising cost of materials in the wake of the devaluation.

“I can confirm a contractor was engaged to renovate the whole jetty but he couldn’t continue because the cost was revised upwards to over K50 million (US$123 762). Due to the rising cost of goods, it became too costly to import materials, especially metals, and there was nothing to do because the currency lost value at the end of the 2011/2012 financial year and nothing was budgeted for the following financial year.”

The pay-for-no-work-completed revelations come at a time government is shrouded in the Cashgate, a multimillion kwacha scandal where the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) are investigating scores of companies on allegations of fraudulently pocketing public funds for no work done.

Makudzula denied the halt was a sign of corruption or bad workmanship, but the aftermaths of the economic reform championed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for nearly five years.

While confirming the director of maritime services’ take, Northern Works director Wilfred Mhango confirmed pocketing K29 million for the works he commissioned with hope that government would honour the revised budget.