Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara has warned contractors working on the 30 kilometer Chitipa-Ilomba Road risk being debarred or demerited if they fail to perform.
Hara gave the warning after touring the K34.4 billion road construction project.
Hara said government deliberately made an effort to have Malawians working on the project and expecting the best from them.
”If the contractors do very well on this project that gives greater chances for doing very well in their careers because this project comes at a time that we are working on demeriting and also debarring contractors that do not perform,” Hara said.
Hara said government is planning to bring fuel tankers to the construction site to solve the challenge of fuel shortage presented by the contractors.
”We are planning a solution for them to see how we can bring fuel tankers here because their demand is about 30, 000 litres per week whilst the filling station here stores about 5, 000 liters,” he said.
Senior Chief Mwabulambya told the minister that the contractors come on site when they hear that government officials are touring the road project.
”We are happy that the minister of transport toured the road project today. We hope to see good progress of the construction works,” he said.
The contractors assured Hara that they will work hard to meet the 18 months deadline for the project which commenced on December 8, 2022 and is due June 8, 2024.
The 30 Km road is divided into three lots. First lot is given to Victory Vision, Sitbec and Goka joint venture, second lot is given to Hema and Deca Construction Companies and third lot is given to Tahit and Chibvundiko Construction companies.
The 30 Km road, which passes through Chitipa North takes cross-border traders to Tunduma, a town in Tanzania