By KASONDE KASONDE –
SPECIAL Assistant to the President for Projects, Implementation and Monitoring, Andrew Chellah has taken foreign contractors to task for not complying with the directive to sub-contract 20 per cent of their contracts to local companies.
Mr Chellah said the directive was designed, among other objectives, to  encourage foreign contractors to promote skills and build capacity among Zambians in the construction industry.
Mr Chellah said this yesterday when he toured road works on Mungwi Road in Lusaka in which 6.7 kilometres of the road was been tarred at a cost of US$18 million.
Noting that only $300,000 has been allocated to local subcontractors, Mr Chellah said he would visit the site soon to ensure that the directive was followed.
“Government has embarked on massive infrastructure development across the country which requires a lot of money, hence the need to promote local players in the sector,” Mr Chellah said.
He, however, commended the contractors for the good quality of works.
Mr Chellah also toured the specialised hospital near the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport where he expressed sadness that construction works had not started.
Mr Chellah said it was unfortunate that two months after President Edgar Lungu launched the works, the contractor had not yet moved on site.
And Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Charles Sipanji said Government would continue to monitor projects to ensure that contractors complied with the presidential directive.
Mr Sipanji said it was not right for foreigners to be doing jobs that  Zambians were capable to performing, such as brick laying, supplying sand and doing earth works.
He also said inspecting construction works helped Government to ensure that contractors followed labour laws and employees were supplied with safety attire and good sanitary conditions.