Small scale contractors seek to benefit from $1.2 billion road project

National Association for Medium and Small Scale Contractors National Secretary Danny Simumba has called on government through the Road Development Agency to clearly state how Zambian contractors will be involved in the construction of the US$1.2 billion Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway.

Mr Simumba has stressed the need to come up with clear guidelines on how local contractors will be able to benefit from the most expensive road project in the country’s history.

He says the head of state has done his part by directing that the 20 percent subcontracting policy for locals is upheld, and that it now remains for the RDA to take it up and set out modalities of how the local contractors will be selected.

He states that local contractors should be fully involved in the road project construction for the sake of skills transfer as they are the ones who will be carrying out maintenance works in the future.

Mr Simumba has also called for transparency in the process of engaging local contractors.

President Edgar Lungu last week commissioned the Lusaka/Ndola dual carriageway which will be constructed by China Jiangxi and is expected to create 3,000 jobs during the four year construction period.