National Association for Medium and Small Scale Contractors (NAMSEC) has urged government to ensure that local contractors benefit from the K250 million that has been released for rehabilitation of road works across the country.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Association Deputy Secretary Isaac Sangulukani said K250 million is a huge chunk which can be equally shared because most local contractors do jobs that are in the ranges K1million to K2 million.
Mr. Sangulukani, who commended Government for the gesture, however stressed the need to ensure that part of the money goes to local contractors as this is not the time to pay foreign contractors.
“K250 Million is quite a huge chunk which can be shared. Most small scale contractors are doing jobs that are in the range of K1 million, K2 million, and K1.5 million so I think they can be swallowed if a K50 million or K100 million is reserved for them, I think it’s going to make a very big difference to our people,” Mr. Sangulukani said.
He said government should prioritize local people so that the money remains within the country.
“We want to commend the Minister for that gesture, and we pray that the money goes to local contractors, because I don’t think this is the time to pay foreign contractors, yes I know there is an obligation that government has, but I think we really need to look at the local people, they are the ones that are hit bad, they are the ones that are keeping that money.”
“Whether it’s a big Zambian contractor they should benefit from the K250, but I have a problem if this money goes to foreign contractors. This money is going out of Zambia, but if we paid a Zambian contractor, this money stays, so we appeal that this money let there not be a lion’s share but an equal share to all the hyenas,” he stated.
The Ministry of Finance has released K250 million for construction and rehabilitation of roads across the country.
According to Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Vincent Mwale, 20-Million kwacha will go towards the rehabilitation of the Ndola-Mufulira road whose works had stalled.