Imposition of contractors blamed for substandard work

Local Development Fund (LDF) training officer Robins Gausi has said the responsibility of hiring contractors for infrastructure projects, which uses funds from LDF community window, rests in the hands of beneficiary communities.

Gausi said this last week during orientation on Masaf 4 project for councilors, members of Parliament, chiefs and district executive committee (DEC) members held at Nation Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) office in Chitipa.

He said the role of council officials, especially the director of public works programme is to provide technical assistance in certifying capabilities of the contractors to be hired.

Gausi said project management committees are also responsible for procurement of project materials, including hiring of transport while officials from the council enlighten the committees on the bills of quantities and provide insights to ensure that goods procured are of acceptable standard.

His remarks cleared tension that has been there over the years between the council, project beneficiaries and project management committees.

Chief Mwenemisuku wanted to know who is responsible for hiring contractors in infrastructure projects, arguing that in most cases, contractors are hand-picked by council officials.

In response, Gausi said: ” In all projects funded by LDF’s community window, contractors are recruited by community members themselves led by project management committees with technical assistance of technocrats from the council.”

Kalondolondo programme manager Jefta Mwanza warned that councils will continue implementing sub-standards infrastructure projects if council officials continue to hand-pick contractors.

Kalondolondo, through a Karonga-based non-governmental organisation, Future Planning for The Child, carried out an intensive performance assessment in 20 school blocks, where it was found that contractors were not hired by the community members.

Mwanza said besides poor workmanship characterising projects where contractors have been hand-picked by council officials, completion of the projects delays as most of such contractors are given many projects.

“Project management committees have no power to control contractors who have been imposed on them. Contractors work at their own pace and this causes a lot of delays for the projects,” he said.