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The government has issued a strong call to action for local contractors to improve the quality and durability of infrastructure projects, warning that substandard work will no longer be tolerated.
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Nicholas Phiri, delivered the message during a site inspection of road works in Solwezi, North-Western Province.
Phiri stressed that government-funded infrastructure should result in long-lasting development that communities can rely on for generations.
“We do not want to return two years after project completion and find potholes in the roads. That’s unacceptable. It only fuels the negative narrative that local contractors can’t deliver quality work,” he said in a statement released Thursday.
Phiri also condemned the growing trend of local contractors subcontracting projects to foreign firms without ensuring local benefit, urging instead for partnerships that promote skills transfer and knowledge sharing.
“Let’s not sell contracts and disappear. Let’s work with foreign contractors, learn from them, and retain those skills here at home,” he said.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to empowering Zambian contractors, particularly under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), in line with President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive.
“Projects in areas such as Zambezi East, Zambezi West, and Chavuma must go to local contractors. The excuse of lacking capacity is no longer acceptable; capacity is built, not born. We must empower our people to grow it,” Phiri said.
The Permanent Secretary also called on local authorities to play a more proactive role in mentoring local contractors and ensuring proper supervision and empowerment throughout the project cycle.
Phiri is in the province to monitor progress on the Rehabilitation and Upgrading to Bituminous Standard of 10.19 Kilometres of Selected Urban Roads in Solwezi Town—a flagship infrastructure investment by the government.
The project includes critical sections such as the stretch from Kimasala through Solwezi Day to Kyawama Roundabout, the road from Messenger Bridge via Kazomba to the T5 Road, the connection from T5 via Faith School to Stadium Road, and Stadium Road itself.
It also involved the construction of concrete-lined drainage systems and pedestrian walkways on both sides of the roads to enhance safety, accessibility, and longevity.
The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development with funding from the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA).
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