By Lovemore Khomo
The National Construction Industry Council-NCIC has called on contractors to ensure good standard and quality of infrastructure in the country.
NCIC Chief Executive Officer Engineer Gerald Khonje was speaking during Stakeholders Sensitization Workshop on various developments on construction on Wednesday in Lilongwe.
The main objective for the meeting was to sensitize stakeholders on various interventions put in place to develop the construction industry for transforming and delivering the quality of infrastructure.
Khonje explained: “We are looking at various regulations some of which have been reviewed in order to increase peoples’ participation and efficiency for smooth delivery of infrastructure development.”
He said that management of the costs is important with the use of NCIC cost indecency which is a guide for pricing.
“We need to enhance the standards of infrastructure and service delivery which looks at conceiving the whole project, planning and design, execution, maintenance and operation and disposal.” advised Khonje.
Engineer Khonje however expressed concerned over slow adaption of digital changes the sector players goes through, hence the need to embrace it. He continued to advise stakeholders to digitally have and keep every necessary document and embrace things like websites and emails to increase international opportunities.
The council pursues with a vision for transformation for creating a better life through safe and modern construction models.
Meanwhile, one of the participants John Zinyongo -who owns Zinyongo Building Contractors -expressed gratitude with NCIC for organizing the training, saying it comes in a season when there has been 44% devaluation of the Kwacha which has really hit the construction industry.
Zinyongo complained: “Its timely meeting where we expected to learn more includes venturing with foreign firms which can make a very big difference. No one will come to develop our country; hence it is ourselves who can develop this motherland.”
He however explained the need to move with time together with the world to ensure that nothing is missed. The National Construction Industry Council-NCIC was established by an Act of Parliament in 1996 with a mandate to regulate, develop and promote
