Government keen on awarding contracts to local contractors

Luapula Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Royd Mwansa says the Provincial Administration in Luapula Province is committed to ensuring that it empowers local contractors by awarding them contracts.

Mr. Mwansa said to ensure that this is realised the province will only award contracts on government projects to local contractors who meet the required standards.

Speaking during the Certificate Handover Ceremony for Medium and Small-Scale Contractors in Luapula Province at Mansa Lodge in Mansa District today, Mr. Mwansa disclosed that contractors outside the Province will not be tolerated especially on projects that can be done by local contractors.

Mr. Mwansa mentioned that the province has enough contractors to deliver quality works on time.

He added that the training which contractors have undergone has capacity built them to adequately handle government contracts.

“The purpose of this particular component of the project was to build the capacity of contractors and enhance their competency so as to enable them compete effectively in infrastructure support services development in the country, I am confident that these contractors are capable of handling government projects,” he said.

Mr. Mwansa warned the contractors that the Provincial Administration will not tolerate contractors that will do shoddy works adding that government has committed itself to working with local contractors which should not be a license to do shoddy works.

“The New Dawn Government is supporting local contractors and this is an opportunity for you to prove that you can do the job well without the government going to look for foreign contractors, therefore I want to warn that government will not tolerate any contractor that does shoddy work,” he said.

Mr. Mwansa further explained that to increase local contractors’ participation in the project, government has continued to restrict foreigners from taking up projects meant for the locals by ensuring National Council for Construction (NCC) registers only local contractors into grade three to six.

He observed that the step to register only local contractors into grade three to six has continuously accorded local firms an opportunity to participate and compete amongst themselves for contracts within their allowed capacity.

Mr. Mwansa further disclosed that government has enshrined in the law that all foreign contractors awarded projects must subcontract at least 26 percent of the works to local contractors, the move he also said promotes local contractors’ participation in national development.

And National Association for Medium and Small Scale Contractors (NAMSSC) Chairperson Francis Musenge has called for a change of mindset if local contractors are to achieve the desirable results.

“We hope that the National Construction Council will continue developing interesting and exciting training programs that would benefit other participants from all over the country and for many years to come, however, to achieve the desired results mindset change is key,” he said.

The National Council for Construction has held a one-month training Programme for Medium and Small-Scale Contractors in Luapula Province and since then certified 75 new and old contractors who underwent various skills in contract management, occupational health and safety, and site supervision modules in Luapula Province.