President Edgar Lungu has implored engineers in the country to be professional in their line of duty as they will be accountable for their wrong actions.
President Lungu says the Engineering Institute of Zambia (EIZ) has not been proactive in inspecting the quality and durability of infrastructure being implemented in the country.
The Head of State made the remarks when he held a meeting with EIZ members and selected cabinet ministers at State House today.
The visibly upset president, wondered why engineers do haphazard works for government projects but implement cost effective and durable projects in the private sector.
“Some engineers when in government, they do haphazard works but the same people do extremely well when they are in the private sector, why? Do you inspect the works before certifying or not, look at the Zambia Building Society House in our central business district, it is a sorry sight yet your institution is aware and nothing is being done about that disaster in -waiting,” President Lungu charged.
President Lungu, who demanded an explanation on what punishments are imposed on erring members, has noted that the cost of projects in government is too high compared to the private sector yet the same engineers do the design works.
The Head of State has stated that it is disheartening that in certain instances the cost of constructing a gravel road is double than the actual cost.
During the meeting, President Lungu recalled that President Paul Kagame of Rwanda appreciates the skill and expertise being exhibited by Zambian engineers in his country yet they do not exhibit the same enthusiasm back home.
“My counterpart in Rwanda is appreciative of the works being implemented by you engineers. Due to the trust you have earned in that country the Road Development Agency (RDA) has been replicated in Rwanda and people in that country are happy with the jobs you do. Now, if perfect works are being done in that country by our own engineers, why don’t you do the same works here in your own country?” President Lungu wondered.
And Engineering Institute of Zambia (EIZ), Able Ng’andu, who has hailed government for the massive infrastructure development rolled out in the country, says the concerns that President Lungu raised are being addressed by his firm.
Mr Ng’andu has explained that five erring engineers will be disciplined before the end of this week and their licenses will be revoked by the ethics and integrity committee.
He has assured that going forward, his firm will be more proactive in order for government to get the value for its money through the certification of durable projects.
“Going forward, we will be proactive and erring members will be punished to send a signal to a few bad eggs in the profession. The issues you have raised like that of the Society House and Ndola-Luanshya road among others are embarrassing to our profession, and we will not allow such to continue going on and this week we are instilling discipline on five members,” assured Mr Ng’andu.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Ministers also took turns to express their concerns on the matter with minister of Local Government, Charles Banda who pointed out that EIZ needs to put more efforts because the massive infrastructure development that government has embarked on, deserves high quality works.
Further, Minister of Finance, Bwalya Ng’andu has warned that going forward all engineers who do substandard works will be imprisoned because the projects come at a huge cost to government.
And Minister of Presidential Affairs, Freedom Sikazwe has questioned the caliber of engineers that certify shoddy works, stating that his constituency has not been spared by the act of negligence, involving certification of schools and clinics that get dilapidated before being commissioned.
I dont what exactly was discussed in the meeting. But going by LT information above, looks like government was just complaining about the quality of the construction works.
In the UK for example, when contracting a project, the contractor is asked to submit cvs of key personnel outline their key skills and previous achievements. Further you get written reference from their previous client. In short before the contract is awarded information is all verified for the key persons.
Nomba ubuteko bwesu you give a minister a contract who has never constructed an alley way ati come and build a highway, what do you expect.
Again when you sign a properly done and scrutinised contract, issues of quality are covered just like defects, under defects liability period which can 6 or 12 years.
Ba Mudala stop making the engineers scapegoats. If engineers are able to do cost effective and professional jobs for the private sector then that tells you a lot about the rubbish going on in your government.
We have been trying to bring this rubbish to your attention, (and to the public in general) by protesting peacefully. But instead of hearing us out you send the police to beat us up.
You can’t be selective about professionalism, police arrest PF cadres for violence they get retired, fired or transferred. The same is happening to Zesco managers when they deny unqualified PF cadres contracts.
What has happened to Miles Sampa?
Can someone advise the President to blast the Architects as well please. They are not any better.
We as citizens just wonder why our schooled men and women in civil engineering could treat their own country with contempt whom do they think will build their nation, if they can show us their inefficiency in the way they do their works it really a shame to say the least
Is the president normal? Who gets these contracts if it is not his unqualified PF caders and officials? Blame your inept and progress impotent government ba lungu. Your caders get the contracts or you give your Chinese friends who deliver shody works then now you blame engineers who are hindered to do their jobs professionally because your caders and Chinese have a highway to contact you or other senior govt officials to get away with their shody works.
First and foremost, research on how contracts are awarded in government… Who gets contracts… Professionals or cadres? Why doesn’t government punish earring contractors? Why is Jay Jay still on the run when he had a very clear case? Please stop criticizing unnecessarily… Bakateka knows why things are that bad … But just want a scape goat to blame… You will just discover that EIZ are never consulted when awarding contracts… Now when short works have completed, what can EIZ do?… Or what can you do yourself if you were in EIZ s shoes?
First and foremost, research on how contracts are awarded in government… Who gets contracts… Professionals or cadres? Why doesn’t government punish earring contractors? Why is Jay Jay still on the run when he had a very clear case? Please stop criticizing unnecessarily… Bakateka knows why things are that bad … But just want a scape goat to blame… You will just discover that EIZ are never consulted when awarding contracts… Now when shoddy works have completed, what can EIZ do?… Or what can you do yourself if you were in EIZ s shoes?
Self-regulation equals to no regulation. That’s what is happening to the engineering profession in Zambia. Will they feel embarrassed by this presidential rebuke? Not if past behaviour does not change.
Sir the problem is your poor governance. If I were you which of course I would not be even in my nightmare, I would be too ashamed to give an example of my counterpart where the same engineers are being hailed. You have just exposed your poor leadership. Yangu ba tata aba!
Your excellency, the president of the Republic of Zambia, the mandate as described in the Professional Engineers Acts-EIZ Act No. 17 of 2010; to ensure that the public is protected and that individuals and companies providing engineering services uphold a strict code of professional ethics and conduct. The problem is between the contractor and the owner (government). The government’s supervisors and inspectors of projects have failed to carry out work as mandated in their duties. Contractors carry work as per specification. I will soon write to you indicating where the problem is. Blaming engineers is not the answer, but the ones failed to fulfill obligations as set in a contract including government workers supervising the project.
My president i agree with you. Enough is enough. I know how allergic you are to mediocre works.Even when we discussed this issue 3 weeks ago I recommended an overhaul of the entire profession. Change is coming. We are tired
useless wanna be president, even a dog is better than this sh1t
Has realized that all the infrastructure builty by these debts have gone to waste. The
He must be checked for his mental capacity. The whole systems in Zambia are rotten.
We start with political and governance systems are corrupt.
PF must go!
LUNGU THINKS ZAMBIAN’S ARE THE MOST S T U P I D PEOPLE ON EARTH.
WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL ABOUT STOPPING THE OPPOSITION, CIVIL SOCIETY, CHURCH’S TO PROTEST PEACEFULLY, CAMPAIGN OR JUST DEBATE NATIONAL ISSUES FREELY?
HE IS BEGINNING TO SOUND LIKE SOMEBODY WHO HAS SPENT 90 PERCENT OF HIS TIME SEARCH FOR DESIGN SHOES, CLOTHS… AND WHICH PROPERTIES TO BUY RATHER THAN SOLVING NATIONAL PROBLEM.
Attitude is key. President is on point to raise concern.
See how ZESCO engineers respond to faults. Generally poor response
Its even worse with the engineers at LWSC . Simply put its pathetic.
This poor engineering performance is horrendous on road projects . A bituminous road supervised by our engineers lasts on average 2-3
years and then potholes start.
And the politicians? Shouldn’t they be the first to hear to jail?
I told you that Kazier Sulu runs this country, making recommendations on everything he doesn’t understand. He has even given himself security contracts with no skills or experience in the sector. But his quick to pick on others. Huge joker
The gramour, beauty, sophistication and complexity of a city, town, village and a country depends on a honest, sober and credible Engineering Fraternity.
Engineering works interrogate national problems and finds lasting science driven technological solutions for the betterment of citizens. Engineers need to have labs and work benches to test prototypes that work. We businessmen ride on the beautiful works of our darling Engineers worldwide. Zambian Patriotic Engineers have no choice but innovate and Invent.
Haven’t Zambians said this again and again that the cost of so many infrastructure projects in Zambia is too high? The party officials are the ones creaming the country by nichekeleko tenders. An honest company cannot win a tender in Zambia unless it is Chinese and the Chinese Communist party has ordered the Zambian government to give it the tender.
The engineering Institute of Zambia is just imitating the unprofessional works Lungu has done on the Zambian economy.
An undeniable fact is all Zambian professionals in any field perform well producing quality results when serving in any other country apart from their own! It is easy to find out why this is so just by conducting a tracking study to understand the environment that is provided for them and how systems that engage them operate in these other countries. The only one reason I can volunteer as to why there is disinterest in delivering for their home country is the general underrating and lack of appreciation for professionalism because comparatively most politicians driving policy are below average of knowledgeable! The Rwanda the president is talking about, he knows does not tolerate corruption and nepotism! Maybe the genocide was a necessary evil.
The pesident must be correctly advised that its not the ElZ that overlooks at major construction issues except for roads projects.
Actually he should have discussions with the key players in the building industry and that is the ARCHITECTS through ZIA _ Zambia lnsitute of Achitects .
PLease Sir summon the ZIA for discusion as it is the Architects who design the buildings and make specifications ,then supervise the construction works on site.
Quantity surveyors must also be called in to talk on costs.
Most importantly Sir invite the clients funding the projects too.
Otherwise egineers are the wrong people to blame Sir.
Attitude reflects leadership.
The horse has bolted. Popcorn might be out of stock when the show hits the road. Stock up guys! It’s just starting.
Akin to blaming your children for being malnourished while you spend all your income in taverns…. shocking
is Nyati Construction Company from Swaziland also not effective at its work?
ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE WAY POLICE CARRY OUT THIER DUTIES?
Where has this man been all along to start complaining about poor standards of work being carried in Zambia ? We are where we are now because someone has been extremely lazy but busy protecting thieving PF thugs who have raked huge amounts of tax payers cash while hiding behind these same projects he is now complaining about .The question which most Zambians are asking is ; Why are the Mansions in Swaziland and around Lusaka not substandard ?
Where has this man been all along to start complaining about poor standards of work being carried out in Zambia ? We are where we are now because someone has been extremely lazy but busy protecting thieving PF thugs who have raked huge amounts of tax payers cash while hiding behind these same projects he is now complaining about .The question which most Zambians are asking is ; Why are the Mansions in Swaziland and around Lusaka not substandard ? The PF is packed with thieves and comedians from to to the bottom .
This pathetic hand gesture makes me want to throw up .
Beans! Where is the NCC in all this? Anger does not solve anything may be some cadres should petition for a commission of inquiry! But the main proble is “ukulya mwibala” policy pronouncement!!
Kaizer, lab technician can’t comment on this. Even a thieving lawyer has no morals to address this.