THE Consortium of Local Contractors and Allied Suppliers on the Copperbelt has threatened to report any foreign contractor who will not engage its members in construction projects as directed by President Edgar Lungu.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Kitwe on Monday, the consortium’s president, John Chilupula, said some contractors were boasting that they were untouchable and would ignore the directive to engage local contractors.
He cited AVIC International as one of the construction companies that were not adhering to the presidential directive and were boasted that they were untouchable.
Mr Chilupula said President Lungu repeated the directive and it was disappointing that main contractors were not complying.
He said the consortium would now focus on the major projects in progress that included the Kafulafuta Dam, the C400 township roads project and several others to ensure that its members were fully engaged.
Mr Chilupula said the President vindicated the local contractors when he confronted Avic International officials over their failure to engage local contractors at the new international airport under construction in Ndola last weekend.
He said the consortium would now work with State House special assistant for project monitoring and implementation Andrew Chella to ensure that the President’s directive was adhered to.
During his visit to the Copperbelt last weekend President Lungu directed all major contractors to adhere to the policy of awarding 20 percent of government contracts to local sub-contractors.
The President was disappointed that despite his directive on the policy, local contractors were not being engaged by major foreign contractors working on government projects. – ZANIS
