Maravi

Shoddy by private sector worries Govt

Shoddy by private sector worries Govt
January 4, 2009

GOVERNMENT is worried about poor workmanship by private sector institutions contracted to implement State-funded capital projects.

Ministry of Finance and National Planning deputy minister, Chileshe Kapwepwe, said in Lusaka that the poor quality of some works executed by the private sector on capital projects funded by Government was disturbing.

“It is disheartening to see that a number of road works and construction of clinics and schools in many parts of the country remain unfinished because of poor workmanship by the private sector,” she said.

She said this on Friday night at a Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply (ZIPS) fundraising function.

She said the erratic execution of the budget hampered development and that most failures in Government and the private sector could be because of questionable procurement practices.

Ms Kapwepwe said against the backdrop of current global financial meltdown, prudent management and cost-effective expenditures of Government resources was cardinal.

She said Government’s goal in the medium-term was to accelerate diversification of the economy with emphasis on agriculture, tourism and manufacturing - all of which are expected to significantly contribute to poverty-reduction and sustainable economic growth.

Ms Kapwepwe said the Government was working towards rationalising the tender process through the reform of the Public Procurement Act, streamlining and enhancing the structure of Zambia National Tender Board (ZNTB).
She said the ZNTB would evolve into a supervisory entity.

“Unless this is done, our organisations will find it difficult to deliver growth and expansion goals needed for Zambia to attain the Vision 2030,” she said.

She said Government was committed to good governance in procurement and supplies.

Ms Kapwepwe said Government would continue to put the private sector at the centre of the development process so that there is expansion in production of goods and services for sustained development and growth that would benefit all sections of society.

She appealed to ZIPS members to take the challenge and make a difference by providing better management of the procurement process in both public and private sectors.

“Please bear this in mind as you implement procurement and supplies decisions in your organisations,” she said.

Speaking earlier, ZIPS acting president, Jones Kalyongwe, said ignorance was generally the cause for failure to adhere to procurement procedures.

“Some people don’t know what to do. This is the more reason industries should employ qualified staff to carry out the procurement responsibilities,” he said.

Mr Kalyongwe said he hoped that the Ministry of Finance and National Planning would involve ZIPS in the implementation of projects this year.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Labels: CHILESHE KAPWEPWE, CONTRACTORS, ZIPS

posted by MrK @ 4:09 AM