Minister concedes corruption in construction of public infrastructure: Warns crackdown
Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango has conceded that the government has failed to curb high levels of corruption in the country which has led to shoddy construction works.
Corruption in the construction of public infrastructure has particularly serious implication. Inappropriate project choice, high prices, poor quality, excessive time and cost overruns, inadequate maintenance, and low returns, among other challenges, impact negatively on economic growth and poverty alleviation.
Speaking in Mangochi after opening a sixth international construction conference, Mhango said President Peter Mutharika is as well concerned that contractors do substandard works on construction assignments.
“There is lots of substandard works. We build a road today, five years down the line it is gone, you build a classroom today, three years down the line it has collapsed,” said Mhango.
He warned that the government will cancel or withdraw licences of contractors involved in corruption.
Most of the road the government has constructed with or without donor funds, including the much touted Bingu wa Mutharika Highway, is already in bad shape just five years after its completion.
Mutharika has been accused of not doing enough to curb corruption and some section of society think the President has encouraged corruption himself.
He is on record as saying several times that those with evidence of corruption in government should bring the evidence to him.
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Just crank yourself down. Transport ministry is the most corrupt
He, the president is increasingly becoming a real big untouchable thief.
Mhango since you have conceded yourself go to the president and tell him that the roads are sub standard coz of corruption coz he wanted proof then he will order ACB to investigate the contractors who built Mbingo High Way and other infrastructures if he’s serious to fight this mess so called katangale
Peter Mutharika is known for non-performance…..he can’t even deliver on a simple issue like cracking down corruption. A whole country is collapsing due to rampant corruption and he is busy watching TV at state house. When he gets out of his comfortable chair he goes out and tell his electorate that there is no corruption in the country and that people are just exaggerating. Even his own cabinet ministers are conceding that corruption has reached unprecedented levels. Foreigners have taken over the country and our head of state is fast asleep. His own cronies are looting the country dry and… Read more »