By Yamikani Yapuwa:
Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity, and Culture, Joyce Chitsulo has expressed concern over delays in the construction of a school block in Thyolo.
During a site visit to Thyolo Boma Primary School on Tuesday, Chitsulo said the project, which was expected to be completed by January 2025 to benefit learners, remains far from completion due to the contractor’s failures.
“It is really sad. The council paid the contractor a lot of money compared to the work done,” she added.
Chitsulo said contractors that fail to deliver should be blacklisted to prevent them from securing future projects.
“Doing so might push them to improve their performance,” she said.
Thyolo District Commissioner, Hudson Kuphanga disclosed that the council already paid the contractor K400 million out of the total contract sum of K561 million.
“We are very worried about the pace at which the contractor is working. We have repeatedly advised them to increase manpower and extend working hours, but they have been reluctant to do so,” Kuphanga said.
He said if the contractor fails to meet a new deadline, the contract will be terminated.
“We have clauses in the contract that allow us to terminate if the contractor fails to meet key terms.
“If there is no significant progress by April, we will be left with no choice but to take action,” he added.
Thyolo Boma Primary School construction project is being funded by the World Bank through Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project.—Mana
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