Maravi

GOVERNANCE & INFRASTRUCTURE

- MPs grill Nkunika, Ng'ambi
- Government to build 2,000 police houses

MPs grill Nkunika, Ng'ambi
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thursday April 12, 2007 [04:00]

WORKS and Supply permanent secretary Colonel Bizwayo Nkunika and Road Development Agency (RDA) executive director Watson Ng'ambi had difficulties explaining to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the suspected overpayments made to the contractor and consultant engaged to work on Mbesuma Bridge in Northern Province.

Last week, a Ministry of Works and Supply team that appeared before the PAC was sent away after it failed to explain the financial irregularities, including the payments to the contractor and consultant on Mbesuma Bridge where works have not been done.

In their submissions to the PAC on Tuesday, Col Nkunika and Ng'ambi were at pains to convince the PAC as to why the government paid the consultant ASCO and the contractor Millers Construction Limited despite their failure to construct the bridge across Chambeshi River.

Following Ng'ambi's attempt to justify the overpayments, Mbabala member of parliament Emmanuel Hachipuka said, "The PS (permanent secretary Col Nkunika) don't allow the director of RDA to be arrogant."

Earlier, Ng'ambi said he could not remember the amount that was supposed to be paid to the consultant and needed to check the contract agreement records.

At this point the deputy Auditor General Regina Chilupula chipped in saying the consultant was supposed to be given about US $ 293 000 but, strangely, he had been paid about US $ 371, 000.

Thereafter, Ng'ambi tried to justify the overpayment by saying that the amount increased because of the related costs.

He said the amount increased due to penalties accrued because of delays in paying the contractors and consultant.

"If you delay payments there are penalties," Ng'ambi said.

PAC members wondered why Ng'ambi was justifying the overpayments when in fact he had earlier told them that he did not know the amount, which was supposed to be paid to the contractor and consultant.

PAC chairman Charles Milupi, who is also Luena member of parliament, asked Col Nkunika to provide the committee with the agreement signed with the consultant.
Nchelenge member of parliament Ben Mwila wondered why the contractor and consultant were paid when no work was done.

Meanwhile Isoka East parliamentarian Paul Sichamba demanded that the bridge be constructed because money had already been paid.

Col Nkunika told the PAC the bridge project was awarded to Millers Construction Limited at a contract price of US $ 3 million in 2000.

However, the Auditor General's report indicates that no works have been done despite the contractor and consultant being paid part of the money.

Ng'ambi said about US $ 543 000 had been paid to the contractor.
And Col Nkunika told the PAC that the Ministry of Works and Supply had informed the contractor to terminate the contract.


http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=25079

Government to build 2,000 police houses
By Patson Chilemba
Thursday April 12, 2007 [04:00]

HOME affairs Permanent Secretary Peter Mumba has said his ministry has set aside K30 billion towards the construction of 2,000 police houses.

And Mumba has said the Angolan government had said as at April 1st, 2007, it would not recognise the Voluntary Refugee Form that would enable Angolan refugees travel back to their country.

Meanwhile, Mumba has said the government would spend K2.5 billion towards the rehabilitation of deplorable police stations around the country.

In an interview, Mumba said his ministry had approached the Ministry of Works and Supply to find a constructor to build the 2,000 houses across the country.

“Certainly you are going to see new houses this year because the money is readily available. If we don’t finish this year, it will be a carry over because the money is available,” Mumba said.

“We are working on the details of how many houses are going to be built in Lusaka, Solwezi, Livingstone and elsewhere. The houses would be built across the country.”
Mumba described most police infrastructure as deplorable.

“Standards in most police stations are deplorable and therefore a bit of money will go towards rehabilitating. If you go to Ndola Central police station, you will find that the roofs are leaking. We want to see a situation where when you go to a police station you can feel at home. We have set aside K2.5 billion for police camps and cells,” he said.

And Mumba said it would not be possible to deport all the 42, 000 Angolan refugees once the government enforces the Cessation clause because that would go against the Refugee Convention of 1959 to which Zambia is a signatory.

“We are a signatory to the Refugee Convention of 1959. Once we do that we cannot deport refugees anyhow. We just have to find a solution for that,” Mumba said. “That law does not allow us to repatriate en mass.

If we have 18, 000, we cannot deport all of them. If we deport 10,000, that would be reasonable. Some people have been here too long. Some came as babies but do you expect to kick them back to Angola?”

Mumba also said Zambia currently had 145 prohibited immigrants in police cells and that the government had no money to send them back to their countries.

“It’s very expensive to deport prohibited immigrants and I would rather spend money on something else, said Mumba.

Labels: INFRASTRUCTURE, POLICE

posted by MrK @ 4:22 AM