Melo News | Monday, 21st May 2024 | Lusaka
1×3 classroom block using CDF in Chama district
Chama North member of Parliament Yoram Mtayachalo has expressed displeasure with local contractors poor service delivery on Constituency Development Fund (CDF)projects in the district.
Speaking in an interview after inspecting the newly constructed 1×3 classroom block at Chilubuntha Primary School in Chama district,Mr Mtayachalo is not happy with the poor workmanship discovered.
The Chama North lawmaker said the 1×3 classroom block which was handed over to Government almost six months ago has already developed cracks on the floor as well as on the wall.
“If we are going to be having these cracks now what will happen in the next two years, you will find the whole structure will be something else.These are public funds and Government has been insisting that we deliver quality works”.he said.
Mr Mtayachalo said that Government has made a deliberate policy in awarding contracts to local contractors, Zambians in particular so that they can build capacity than engaging foreign contractors.
“If this kind of working culture continues you will find that the Government will resort to foreign contractors and it’s we the Zambians who are going to complain that contract are given to foreigners”.he said.
The Member of Parliament urged the local contractors to follow the right procedure of engaging relevant authorities if they feel that the contracts given to them is not enough.
“I want to emphasise that it is of great importance that if contractors feel that the money is not enough they should approach relevant authorities and engaged the Constituency Development Fund Committee, who will do something to ensure that contractor delivers quality works.
“When the contractor wants to reduce on cost of a project it’s not good, because tomorrow certain contractors may end up been blacklisted,”he said.
Mr Mtayachalo has also expressed concern on how the local authority accepts certificates of completion of a project from contractors minus checking how the works have come out.
“I am not an engineer myself,that is why Government have trained engineers ,now should it take the Member of Parliament to be going rounding checking on construction projects when we have trained engineers,”he said.
Mr Mtayachalo has directed the local authority to engage the contractor to come and redo the works.
He has appealed to the suppliers of desks to ensure they supply desks that will stand the test of time adding that it is costly to buy desks every year.
Mr Mtayachalo has called on the local authority to respond to this matter expeditiously.
And Chilubuntha Primary School headteacher Kalumo Mtonga is grateful to Government for the projects been implemented at the school.
Mr Mtonga has equally expressed displeasure on the works done by the contractor,he has said he would appreciate if the contractors comes back to the redo the works.
He has said the school continue to face water challenges as the contractor has failed to put up a water borehole.
