By HELEN ZULU –
GOVERNMENT has challenged the National Council for Construction (NCC) to strengthen its regulatory framework to enable the country fully benefit from the industry.
Transport and Communications Permanent Secretary Misheck Lungu said there was need for the NCC to ensure that discipline was maintained in the sector.
Mr Lungu said at the two-day stakeholders’ consultative meeting organised by NCC in Lusaka last week that most local contractors had a tendency of doing shoddy works which had put a dent on the sector.
“My Ministry will support you in this course, so as NCC, be proactive, make sure you regulate all the players in this industry, and if the regulations do not support you take them back to parliament so that they can be reviewed.
“We want discipline in the industry, we do not want to have cases were projects are abandoned or are badly done, so make sure you up your game,” Mr Lungu said.
He said Government would not accept substandard works by local contractors as it was costly and meant that the work had to be redone.
Mr Lungu also urged the NCC to take back any regulation that did not support it in providing authority and guidance to the contractors to parliament for review.
He said it was time for local contractors to change their mind set towards work and endeavour to do quality work so that Government could get value for its money.
