Malawi govt to probe poor road constructions  —Mutharika

Malawi’s construction industry continues to grapple with institutionalised corruption and outright fraud as citizens are further pushed to the marginal gutters and continue to receive substandard work below any set standard due to corrupt and incompetent service providers.

Poorly constructed roads continue to litter the country’s residential areas as another form of cash-gate in the country is slowly taking shape.

President Peter Mutharika has warned  against corruption, saying government will investigate all irregularities in the construction of roads following complains and

whining that  some road which he  officially opened recently have  become an eyesore as the tarmac has developed potholes, drifts and cracks with motorists now shunning the road.

In Lilongwe and Mzuzu cities, there have also been reports of tarmac on newly-upgraded roads peeling off

Said Mutharika: “There are corrupt councillors who are awarding contracts in the country to some companies based on their own personal interests. These companies are not capable enough to undertake some projects and they end up coming up with substandard road projects. Mind you, this is public money! You will be investigated!”

The President, who spoke at the opening of the Malawi International Trade Fair in Blantyre on Wednesday, accused ward councillors who corruptly award contracts to some local companies that come up with substandard output, especially in road construction projects.

Nyasa Times investigations, however, reveal that that such substandard work is a deliberate ploy by some contractors  to reap off government on renovations of the same roads when the cracks develop.

Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito has since  called on the Roads Authority (RA) to properly scrutinise contractors before awarding them projects to ensure they do quality work.

He placed much emphasis on some roads which were constructed or rehabilitated last year, including the Makata Road, Illovo-Midima roundabout, Chimwankhunda and Nyambadwe which have started developing potholes or have completely been worn out, in turn giving problems to motorists.

Roads Fund Administration spokesperson Masauko Ngwaluko recently said as is the case with every road project in city road construction and reconstruction works, his organisation retains five per cent of respective contract sums so that they can be used to rectify defects on the roads.