A named contractor constructing the K319 million community ice plant in Gwembe district has allegedly abandoned works, bringing the project to a standstill.
This is despite the fact that the government had fully paid the contractor for the project.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS shortly after a tour of the site today, Gwembe District Commissioner, Dorothy Hamvula, expressed concerns over the delays in the completion of the project which was supposed to have been commissioned in June this year.
“This project was supposed to have been commissioned in June this year, but according to information I have received, the contractor has not been on site since March this year, this is despite the fact that he has been paid in full for the whole project,” she lamented.
Ms. Hamvula wondered why the named contractor was paid in full before the completion of the project.
She explained that at first, the contractor had cited delays by ZESCO to erect power lines at the site as the reason for the delayed completion.
“At first the contractor said he could not complete the project because ZESCO had not yet powered the site, but now ZESCO has done its part, but the contractor has not been on site for more than six months now,” she explained.
A check by ZANIS at the project site revealed that very little progress has been made, with the wiring and plumbing not yet completed, while the plastering of the buildings housing the ice machine and the offices were partially done.
This is despite all the necessary materials to complete the project being readily available on site.
The contractor only did a bit of chiseling of the walls for the wiring. The ice machine has not yet been connected to the power supply.
The named contractor, who was awarded the contract by the Justice for Solidarity Poverty Reduction Funds (JSPRF) early last year, has been away from the project site for more than six months, and was allegedly seen in Lusaka and Sesheke, where he was awarded another project.
Once completed, the Chipepo Ice plant project would benefit both local and general fish traders by providing refrigeration and cold room services to traders who store or transport fish to other parts of the country.
ENDS/MZ/KSH/ZANIS
The named contractor has not been named going by the LT article. This is typical of the work culture in Zambia. As a developing nation we are also the most wasteful. I hope the contractor will be brought to book, that is if there is a book at all.
This is one sided story let the contractor submit his story?to ethics of construction a contractor has a consultant who monitors progress & issues a press statement not a politician.You saw him in lsk & sesheke apprehend him if u so believe courtworth.
kanchibiya 98 % PF 1.8 % MMD 0.2 % UPND
I agree with NDONYA lets hear from the Lead-Consultant why the works are not complete and why the Contractor got 100% paymet for works not complete.
I do Agree with #1 it is a work culture many Zambians have attained from 1991. During the Kaunda time people where scared to begave in such a manner scared that Kaunda would have them arrested or the the OP will find him. And this is the work culture Mwanawasa protested against he had given lots of contructs to Zambians but most of them did not do a good job and i have witnessed such in Zambia. Many people one there given such an opportunity they take it as a jackpot and a way to steal the money instead of seing it as an empowererment to zambians.That is why Mwanawasa started to give foreigners as they did a good Job e.g Raubex for the Roads, they have done tremendously well & many othrs
To start with, why was he given all the money? Ubu Bupuba, Bushilu! secondly, why has he worn another contract? who is giving him ama Contracts Kanshi? He must revert the money after correct calculations on what has been spent! Get hold of the Cheap Contractor and Blacklist his Company. we need to move on with serious people, serious companies that believe in true work that benefits the country and the people as a whole!
please dont get me wrong i am for the idea that Zambians should be empowered by giving them contracts as was the intentions of Mwanawasa. He changed his mind after the poor jobs & said he will give them if they changed their attitudes. I suspect this guy must have been among the few who were not yet reported and that things werent clear who was at fault or gave a good reason by giving an excuse of ZESCO. Thats why lots of South African companies and chineese have been given contracts in diffrent areas to develop.They do their job. Their has been of course a few foreign companies that failed to do the work and were black listed.But for the Zambian ones it was almost all didnt work.
The named contractor need not to be spared, Hang him.
$100,000 USD pin . We need to catch this thief!!
is the contractor chinese?
The named contractor, who was awarded the contract by the Justice for Solidarity Poverty Reduction Funds (JSPRF), am sure the Government has reduced his poverty, though you havent named him, (the named contractor).
How do you pay someone all the money before completing the job.We are taken for granted Please no further comments
When are we going to learn and run a country like civilised people, how do you pay someone 100%? The project is supposed to be phased and pay the contractor upon completion of that phase.Really kid stuff, some1 was paid and just walks out of the project , where is the risk management part of the project being used here.Secondly, LT can even protect this contractor by not shaming them, “a named” when you do not disclose the name, with this culture or work ethic in Zed we are going nowhere, name and shame and the prosecute or blacklist that contractor, I miss LPM, I know he could have acted tough on this conman.
GOVERNMENT PLIZ FIND THE CONTRACTOR AND GET HIM JAILED.IT WAS SENSELESS FOR THE GOVT TO PAY TO THE FULL BEFORE COMPLETION
All those in Building & Construction know that there are too many corrupt educated Zedists. Architects, Engineers and Quantity surveyors …please can you tell us why you are failing to manage projects in Zambia……
Chinese contractors dont mess around.They do good joboo
Thief Enginers, Arcitects & QS’s are to blame!!!!!
VOTE RB
First of all you don’t pay a contract all the money before completing the project unless some politician benefited. Secondly, this trend is like going on and contractors are doing the same, get paid and bolt before completing the work. Pls Zambians especially those entrusted to do the needful on our behalf lets bring these chaps to book. Jail all of them and let it be a lesson to the would be offending contractors.
I presume all these chaps doing this are Zambians. Pls can we do away with them and contract foreign guys who will do a good job. Zambian contractors are alet down!!!!!!!
#3 ati shani twawina ku kanchibiya? are the results already out?MMD kuya bebele. Bavo! Pabwato
This is just one case out of many not reported. MMD has failed. If you checked these contractors, a big fish linked to MMD is involved. More will be reviewed when the economist HH takes over come 30th October. Michael Mabenga used up the contituence funds and today he is in the fore front compaigning for RB so that he plunder continues.
Where in the world is a contractor paid fully before he produces his work to the satisfaction of the government for example?? In ZAMBIA!! The people who have paid him need to be investigated also.
It is very sad that the work culture in Zambia hasn’t changed and it will take ages to change for the better. I have never heard of a fully paid construction contract. What safe-guards were put in place in case of such an eventuality? The contract should have been drawn on the basis of finished stages. It takes at least two parties to enter into a contract. The other party to this contract can sited for negligence and irresponsibility if not abuse of office for not safeguarding national wealth against such(named contractors) unscrupulous contractors. Anywayit would be better to see the terms of the contract. This contractor may not have breached the contract after all.
The K300million+ may sound like a lot of money, but other factors such as inflation should also be taken into consideration. Building costs can rapidly rise and if working on a fixed contract, can cause heaps of grief to the concerned parties. Let the “named Contractor” account for the expenses by giving a detailed expenditure report. We would be enlightened on this matter by getting both sides of the story for justice to be achieved rather than giving lop-sided conclusions.
Begin proceedings against him, you wasteful bastards.
Uyu contractor aoneka nimu Chinese.
Just vote for SATA and the person will be arrested on the second of November PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!
if Dorothy Hamvula knows the culprit why not use her power to bring him to book rather than rush to the media why even pay some one 100% Dorothy should not complain but catch the known culprit, we are so tired so such attitudes. that is tax payers money you Dorothy Hamvula and tender board should sort it out 100pin is a lot of money to thro away like that.
THE CONTRACTOR MUST BE CHINESE
Both parties signed a contract and the client in this case has recourse to the court. Please, let the client take the matter to couirt and we shall hear both sides of the story.
Contractors are always paid before the job is done in order not to have jobs delayed. Thats how it works.
Yes, I do understand that they get paid some money to start the work. But then progress must be monitored and the payments have to be paid in installments after finishing lets say phase 1, 2 and 3.
It is reckless to pay everything upfront – especially here in Zambia.
this shows lack of proper institutions to govern the construction industry.This aint supposed to happen ,pipo go to jail for this
I cant believe an investor could have dissapeared for so long and today is when they are realising– this shows irresponsibility and lack of commitment – District Commisioner should have been ashamed to even give that interview
Obviously the contractor is chinese!
Akandwa uyu contractor nabakateka ba Sata after 30th October.
I think this person is the big fish or a relative to the big fish. Honestly how can you give money like that as if it’s K1,000.
Odd that some commentators on this board are so quick to blame ‘Zambian work culture’ or say that this is why Mwanawasa awarded contracts to foreigners (even without knowing if this contractor himself was foreign).
What we have here is a lack of government oversight. Why wasn’t this project checked up on every step of the way? Why was money given to a contractor up front, instead of as the project progressed? If a contractor is paid up front, what incentive does he have to perform?
Why is there such a lack of oversight on government projects, or is this an example of deregulation, and the government throwing money at the private sector?
Or, as they awarded the contract, why didn’t Justice for Solidarity Poverty Reduction Funds (JSPRF) check up on the project as a matter of course?
It is a single sided story as #1 said. Firstly, I don’t believe a contractor is his rightful mind would abandon a project which is fully paid for. Govt must come out clearly and explain things properly. If they paid him, What is the task force then or the anti-corruption doing? They could have arrested him by now. It all goes back to Govt!