By HELEN ZULU –

THE National Council for Construction  (NCC) has registered and issued a total of 3,861 certificates to construction companies for the 2014/2015 registration period.
NCC Board chairperson Patrick Kampengele said from the 3,861 companies registered, 95 per cent were local and five per cent were foreign.
Mr Kampengele said the number was expected to rise to above 4,000 by the end of the year.
He said NCC also conducted skills training for 378 students in various skills such as paving technologies, operation of earth moving equipment to management of consultancies.
He was speaking at the official opening of the contractors and stakeholders’ consultative meeting in Lusaka last Thursday.
“We have, however, noted that most of these courses are oversubscribed, indicating the need on our part to expand the service to accommodate the increase in demand for important skills to improve infrastructure development in Zambia,” Mr Kampengele said.
Meanwhile, Transport, Works and Supply Minister Yamfwa  Mukanga said there was need for the construction sector to address the gaps in the inadequate legal framework to effectively regulate the industry.
Mr Mukanga said the sector was faced with the issue of rising project costs which could be attributed to the rise in prices of raw materials and strength of the kwacha in relation to other currencies.
He noted that the sector also faced skilled Labour shortages due to inability by learning institutions to produce enough skilled or professionals.
Other challenges include, accessibility to quality materials in certain localities, inadequate and incomplete designs, delays in issuing site instructions by consultants and among others.
“I am aware that NCC is in the process of reviewing the NCC Act no. 13 of 2003 in order to make it responsive to the needs of modern society in a global sense.
My government intends to continue with its projects of providing basic infrastructure to it’s citizens,” Mr Mukanga said.