Maravi

Nabanda slams contractor's road rehab works

Nabanda slams contractor's road rehab works
By Mulimbi Mulaliki in Solwezi
Tuesday April 29, 2008 [04:00]

CARITAS Zambia Solwezi Diocese coordinator Frederick Nabanda has said rehabilitation works on the Solwezi-Mwinilunga road by Raubex Contractors are not satisfactory. In his letter of complaint to works and supply minister Kapembwa Simbao, Nabanda stated that the unsatisfactory works being done on the trunk road were of great public concern. But Ministry of Works and Supply permanent secretary Lieutenant Colonel Bizwayo Nkunika said the complaints by Caritas were premature because the road works were still going on. Nabanda stated that it was very difficult to distinguish whether the road was being tarred or gravelled as in some areas they were just patching up potholes.

"If you had an opportunity to come and see for yourself as the works are going on, it is very difficult to distinguish that these people are tarring or gravelling the road that was already tarred a long time ago. This is evidenced by the fact that we have seen potholes being patched up with gravel and in some areas of the road where there is tar covering it with gravel," read Nabanda's letter in part.

Nabanda explained that Solwezi Diocese Bishop Alick Banda also expressed concern over the quality of work being carried out by Raubex Contractors.

"This is of great concern to us because the public have raised a lot of questions and they bring them to us knowing that CCJDP is an advocacy organisation in the Catholic Church which can quickly ask government to intervene to ensure that our resources are not being wasted by contractors doing shoddy work. Government appears not to be concerned," stated Nabanda.

But Lt Col Nkunika said contrary to Caritas' assertions that the contractor was doing a bad job, he visited the road under rehabilitation and the works going on were to standards.

"Those complaints are premature, they are complaining before the work was complete. Let them go to Mutanda and see for themselves where they have completed. The road is going to have a new surface," he said.

Nkunika explained that Raubex Contractors had completed stage one of the work and they were now applying double seal on the road so that there was good surface road.

Labels: CARITAS, CONTRACTORS, FREDERICK NABANDA, ROADS

posted by MrK @ 8:28 AM