Rumbidzai Ngwenya
TRANSPORT and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona has said his ministry is going to take the legal route to recover public funds from underperforming contractors in the on-going Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP2).
Addressing the parliamentary portfolio committee on Transport and Infrastructure committee yesterday after a road tour in Nyanga, Mhona said the ministry is going to blacklist underperforming contractors.
“As we implement road works under ERRP 2, we have noted that some contractors are not meeting expected standards as some of them are already showing signs of distress.
“Some are even failing to execute the works after being awarded the contracts. As a government, we have taken steps towards blacklisting in the extreme cases.
“I have instructed my officials to come up with modalities to recover any public funds which may have been lost due to the work of underperforming contracts using the legal route,” said Mhona.
Meanwhile, Mhona urged the committee to formulate laws that will develop the transport and infrastructure sector.
“As the ministry responsible for implementing NDS1 targets under the transport and transport infrastructure, we are indeed delighted to interact with law makers at this joint forum.
“Your voice is key as law makers charged with the constitutional mandate to enact laws that regulate the transport and transport infrastructure sector. Further, we cherish your crucial role: as representatives of the people who use the infrastructure, as oversight of government programmes practitioners and as the custodians of the budget process to strike necessary balances in the competing allocation of resources.
“I have no doubt that the inspections in loco have given a great opportunity to our esteemed honourable members to enhance their parliamentary oversight role with a factual appreciation of issues on the ground,” he said.
The ERRP 2 is focussed on repairing 26 000 kilometres and has been targeting rural, urban and highways across the country with the major highways linking the country to various ports now on the radar for urgent development.