Monze council bemoans Anita construction progress

LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes MONZE Town Council officials have expressed disappointment at the rate which Anita Construction Company, is taking to construct the transit bus terminus is in the District. Council Secretary Benson Bweenje told the project manager and the consultant for the company to be mindful that the contract had been extended for two consecutive times […]

Monze council bemoans Anita construction progress
LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes MONZE Town Council officials have expressed disappointment at the rate which Anita Construction Company, is taking to construct the transit bus terminus is in the District. Council Secretary Benson Bweenje told the project manager and the consultant for the company to be mindful that the contract had been extended for two consecutive times based on their request and recommendation hence the need to complete the works in stipulated period. He was speaking when the Council officials visited the site to see the progress, of the bus terminus, which was scheduled to be handed over on April 12, this year. Mr Bweenje said the Provincial Procurement Committee had given the contractor ample time to complete the works but the contractor had continued to ask for further extensions to complete the project.  He reminded the team that time was a cost and detrimental to the government because the council expected to have received the facility by the agreed date. Mr Bweenje instructed the Project Manager and the Consultant to supervise the contractor based on the work plan and that all technical problems should be resolved on site by the three offices. “You asked for extension twice and you were given but why are failing to finish? The project was in last year’s and this year’s budget where is the revenue going to come from here and you are telling us that you need more time,  “This is not the council’s money or our money as workers but money for the people of Zambia appropriated to Monze hence the need for us to be accountable in our various capacities so that the people of Zambia can see benefits from their money,” he said.  Mr Bweenje said it was important that the station was complete so that the town could have sanity in the transport sector and that the council needed the money from the station to help with certain services in the District.   He said that the construction company should be mind that the source funding for the project was based on bilateral relationships and that government did not want to compromise its bilateral relationships due to negligence of officers and agents. Meanwhile, Council Socioeconomic Planner Jack Deka told the contractor to give a specific date on when he would hand over the project because the people in the district wanted to start using the facility. Mr Deka advised the contractor to consider the reputation of not only his company but that of local contractors who have for a long time come under scrutiny because of their incompetence in delivering projects. The contractor promised to deliver a work plan before the close of business on Monday, which would indicate the date of hand over and provide baseline for monitoring by the project manager. The Sun