GOVERNMENT is worried about poor workmanship by private sector institutions contracted to implement State-funded capital projects.
Ministry of Finance and National Planning deputy minister, Chileshe Kapwepwe, said in Lusaka that the poor quality of some works executed by the private sector on capital projects funded by Government was disturbing.
“It is disheartening to see that a number of road works and construction of clinics and schools in many parts of the country remain unfinished because of poor workmanship by the private sector,” she said.
She said this on Friday night at a Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply (ZIPS) fundraising function.
She said the erratic execution of the budget hampered development and that most failures in Government and the private sector could be because of questionable procurement practices.
Ms Kapwepwe said against the backdrop of current global financial meltdown, prudent management and cost-effective expenditures of Government resources was cardinal.
She said Government’s goal in the medium-term was to accelerate diversification of the economy with emphasis on agriculture, tourism and manufacturing – all of which are expected to significantly contribute to poverty-reduction and sustainable economic growth.
Ms Kapwepwe said the Government was working towards rationalising the tender process through the reform of the Public Procurement Act, streamlining and enhancing the structure of Zambia National Tender Board (ZNTB).
She said the ZNTB would evolve into a supervisory entity.
“Unless this is done, our organisations will find it difficult to deliver growth and expansion goals needed for Zambia to attain the Vision 2030,” she said.
She said Government was committed to good governance in procurement and supplies.
Ms Kapwepwe said Government would continue to put the private sector at the centre of the development process so that there is expansion in production of goods and services for sustained development and growth that would benefit all sections of society.
She appealed to ZIPS members to take the challenge and make a difference by providing better management of the procurement process in both public and private sectors.
“Please bear this in mind as you implement procurement and supplies decisions in your organisations,” she said.
Speaking earlier, ZIPS acting president, Jones Kalyongwe, said ignorance was generally the cause for failure to adhere to procurement procedures.
“Some people don’t know what to do. This is the more reason industries should employ qualified staff to carry out the procurement responsibilities,” he said.
Mr Kalyongwe said he hoped that the Ministry of Finance and National Planning would involve ZIPS in the implementation of projects this year.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Government must first redirect the procurement procedures if matters have to improve.
What private sector is this: foreign companies or Zambian??? In case of foreigners, it is because they want to maximize profits at all costs. In case of Zambians, it is because of they have bad work ethics. In both cases, there should be proper project monitoring by a government institution. But then we lack such a institution, let alone resources and human resources. God forbid!:-??
What number am i ?
Zambia’s tragedy is not lack of funds, but failure to manage the little cash that we have. Sometimes I feel the government should reduce the amount of tax they’re collecting until they put their house in order. We’re just pouring our hard earned cash into a bottomless pit. It makes me sick.
No.3 Ba Maureen please….. Ashhhhhhh I sign off.
Come on people this is a no brainer. Corruptly award contracts to people who don’t qualify or don’t deserve them and that is the service you get. You only give contracts where the contractor has bribed you and now you yep about shoddy work. Give us a break, fix the cause and not the synptoms
Mbewe Mbuya
Its an obvious case nima foreign investors,its very rare for the govt to award contracts to local investors.
Its because this campanies acquire contracts through corruption means from government, so its governments fort for poor policies on contract awarding and lack of effective monitoring and controlling by the same governemnt.
Procurement guilines are there and procurement officers are exparts at them. They’re not ignorant at all, but “nichekeleko” is the is the driver here. Grading of Contractors is in place. Procurement officers know that for a Contractor to execute a government project it must technically and financially be responsive with no waiver. Show me any procurement officer who has not taken a bribe or is called “gifts” on government tenders. This shall not end unless tender evaluation reports are made public for stake holders to appreciate the status quo. Corruption drives the procurement process. KAPWEPWE, be pragmatic and change matters for us to witness.
but most of the contractors are related to people in government!
Guys
Allow me to thank salute all bloggers blogging from RSA,we are good pipo.No insults,no attacking each other.I think we deserve a big hand =d>=d>=d>=d>.unlike pipo from…anyway never mind.
Thats what i wanted at least I have saved our dear bloggers from your boring comments:(([-o<[-o<
#11 Kaili you are busy preparing to mug us come 2010
This problem is symptomatic of the corruption involved when the said companies obtain contracts. They spend a good proportion of the contact price on kickbacks. This casuses them to conduct shoddy work to remain profitable.
GRZ must consider using local products like BA Dr MAUREEN and chaps like Donya once they go back kumushi..otherwise quality will never improve…after imported man power just want cash..
Ba LT,
Why allow porno attched to a noble Passport conference call debate on your the sight?I click the listen to link only to get porno pictures.That is not honorable to the blog many arestarting to call their meeting place on issues.Please detatch the the debate from porno or knock it all.
Ba LT,
Why allow porno attached to a noble Passport conference call debate on your site? I click the listen to link only to get porno pictures pop ups.That is not honorable to the blog many are starting to call their meeting place on issues.Please detatch the the debate from porno or knock it all together.
>:) dats y dem govt cant trust tha private sector trust me then…
Senior Citizen
The issues you see popping up are not because of LSktimes, thats adserve it advertises pop ups according to the list of websites you constantly visit. When it shows a lot of porno pop ups thatt because someone in your house visits such sites . It is just a file sharing site which shows advertisements that are not in the hands of LSKTIMES. So maybe if you sit down the people in your house or clear your history of websites you visit you will see a change .
What private sector is there?? When the government has no plans to either protect nor increase participation in the private sector. I don’t think there is a concrete plan that the government follows. These guys in government think they are smart but they are a circus. Institutions like Small Business Association( Wonder what they call it), should be thriving.
My observation is that the whole system needs to be overhauled, period.
the program that shows you the pop ups is called ADSERVE. So be careful to critisize LSKtimes for the problems Senior citizen. My zshare banner shows tourism pop ups because I visit a lot of tourism
Ba # 19. armchair critic,
Absolutely no one else shares with me my laptop always with a log security because of my business data.My family uses the desk top while my wife has her personal notebook for her work business.No way no how would i visit porno site wittingly.I may not be an IT sage but i know i have a strong multi layer security software.I clicked “listen” only to see those abhorrent pornos to my dismay.But why allow a program that comes with porno pop ups on the site anyway?
This Goverment has always favoured the so called ‘foreign investors’ and has no confindence in Zambian investors!! So the bottom line is,
people we call ‘our’ leaders are irresponsible, careless and only interested in fattening their bank balances. There is no transperancy in tendering or procedures of winning Govt. contracts let alone accountability. These issues of mismanagement are happening in all Govt. sectors…and the solution could be, could be imbedded in working to change the Zambian (some) mind set i.e ‘bribes’, particularly those in higher offices. Until then, lets we forget it. :-w
Senior Citizen the pop ups and porno’s are because of what you have on your computer it is not lusakatimes fault . be honest with yourself ,I tried to disable my pop up blocker and even used my other computer but to my dismay nothing of that sort came up. You are just embarassing yourself with telling us whats coming up. How come they are no pornography pop ups on my computer?
Just wait for her to form some ka Company herself and award it contracts then she will keep quite….ah! Zambian leaders, very predictable!
Guys,
Ili ilyashi lyama passport tufwile ukwikatana nga kacena(scent)ne nsokoshi shabankungulume.
:-j:-j:-j:-j
Who awards them contract without a track record? This is the corruption LPM used to challenge people about. You do not award a contract without verifying the company can do the work and you start crying like little Children. Be sincere, verify the company has the capcity to do the job by checking what they have done before with other clients. Of course if you have Minsiters like Mulongoti at Works and Supply, they will award contracts to their fake friends and share the money. Be careful RB. Is it any wonder that you see people with wheel barrows building roads? How on earth can you build a road with mud?
Dear Lusaka Times,
Passport Petition Conference call miniutes
Kindly go ahead and remove the minutes from the website you have posted it.The issue to do with Passports is a family issue and the website you are broadcasting our minutes from does not represent family values our and our values.We kindly ask you to remove these minutes posted immediately.Thank you.
If the master is weak,the servants take advantage and don’t do thorogh jobs.Before the private sector is put to blame,the government should look at the rules and rehulations affecting the procurement and execution of these contracts
:o, Mdm Kapwepwe, don’t act so shocked! Your Govt lacks seriousness when it comes to tender procedures, quality assurance & performance mgt! Your processes & procedures are like pouring water into a leaking bucket so just shut your trap & fix things. Shady civil servants and politicians benefit from the same awarding of dodgy contracts & today you wonder what’s wrong?! This rot started in 1991 with FJT & has continued to date (18yrs), get serious you clowns!!!
Problem with Zed politicians, it’s all TALK and NO action. I bet you, 8yrs from now, we’ll still be talking about shoddy works by unscroupulous contractors…We TALK sooo much as a nation yet are among the least developed??? Simple reason is our lack of proactive ACTION!!!
Its interesting that the govt is TODAY worried about shoddy works! What do you expect when you give contracts dubiously to relatives who are unqualified? dont hoodwink us. We know these things. More money in their pockets. [-x
If you live in a mad house, dont be surprised that your everything is scented with mud. Your clothes, breathe, your sweat and literally anything about you will exhibit the nature of your habitation. Talk about standards. It is as good as you can be. A mad house is good if it is good in your eyes.
People especially English football lovers I want to know if you are happy with Multichoice’s conduct since Boxing Day. They have not shown a single Englice football match and SA is watching almost all the games. Please lets unite by not paying our subs. If we keep quiet balatutola nga ba MMD
Deja vu
The problem is that if we do not pay, our children will miss Tom and Jerry. Bana banga love it. should i honestly punish them coz of soccer? I love the english game mudala, but i suppose thats the price we pay for being a poor nation. even the little is being taken away from us. Nabatumpa sana ba multichoice.
GOVERNMENT is worried about poor workmanship by private sector institutions contracted to implement State-funded capital projects. Why should you worry? the answer you have those controlling officers are the ones to blame because they will ask for a bribe on the money you have planned and they expect the contractor to finish the job with a profit, what happens, half of the money has been given to controlling officers, then you fail to finish they tell you we will give you another projects so that you get the money to finish the earlier project. that is why you have shoddy jobs. just woke up mama.
Mama, be serious with project implementation management structures. There must be a named individual responsible/accountable for each project deliverable.
Bushe kwena whats wrongs with our leaders. Madam Kapwepwe you are there to sort out problems not to worry about them.Give us a plan to resolve the situation not just complaining about it.They are controlling officers in all Govt Departments who are answerable for those so called projects. Why complain to us? Let them explain to you why contractors are not doing a good job and I presume you are well educated to ascertain were the problem is. Please dont pretend that you are not aware of whats happening.Sort out the problem.
The problem is not with the contractor but with the relevant Govt organ responsible for quality control.
What do expect if you give a contract to somebody who is unqualified and inexperienced? The people handing out contracts should be put to task. A contractor is supposed to work according to your quality guidelines, if he fails it is his duty to do that. If he fails penalties are there in contracts.
Dont shed crocodile tears. You are non-performers.
Pls dont lecture us.You the same Politicains own these tu tember companies.You employ your garden boy who is on gov. pay roll and one of your former school mates to implement these project. By the way how do they win these tenders.Do you guys care to reserch?Some one must be held responsible and forfiet there benifits as punishment.
pP5BlJ comment5 ,
It is the coolest site, keep so!