Govt Not getting value for Road Projects says Kapwepwe

Government is not getting value for money on road projects because shoddy works have continued due to lack of supervision, Deputy Finance and National Planning Minister, Chileshe Kapwepwe has said.

“The Government, and particularly my ministry, is very concerned with the poor workmanship by some contractors partly due to poor supervision. This is clear evidence that the Government is not receiving value for money. I must emphasise here that quality supervision of works is a critical element in ensuring the attainment of a good quality road network,” she said.

Speaking at a joint donor forum at Chaminuka Lodge April 25 Ms Kapwepwe challenged stakeholders in the sector to be professional and work together in supporting Government’s efforts in improving communication through a quality road network.

Ms Kapwepwe called upon stakeholders including road agencies, contractors, and consultants to exhibit professionalism and work together in harmony. She said a quality road network was cardinal to national development, hence the need to ensure that roads were worked on properly.

“In terms of support to the road sector, the Government remains committed to providing more resources in the medium to long-term so that the intended objective of improving the country’s road network is attained,” she said.

She noted that the implementation of the US$1.6 billion Roadsip II was now halfway in terms of the implementation period.She said Government was committed to improving the road network as evidenced by the sufficient allocation of money to the sector and the acquisition of road-making equipment, which had been distributed to all the provinces.

In terms of challenges, Ms Kapwepwe said funding had remained critical, hence the need for stakeholders to utilise the resources prudently and prioritise implementation of projects.