OMALAMBO – Minister of Works and Transport Erkki Nghimtina says the government will blacklist entrepreneurs who fail to deliver government projects as per their contractual agreements.
While officially opening the Onayena-Omahenge road yesterday at Omalambo village, Nghimtina said his ministry would no longer entertain irresponsible SMEs whose owners are aiming at acquiring expensive vehicles at the expense of government projects.
“We want our SMEs to grow and become principal contractors one day and also to tender for projects in foreign countries, just like the foreign contractors here,” the minister said.
“We just don’t want those SMEs whose owners go and buy Mercedes Benz ML 500s when they were supposed to go and buy a lot of cement, and start telling the employees that the ministry has not paid them.”
He added: “When they buy the Mercedes they start to think they are rich. They are not rich, they are cheating themselves because we are not going to use such people anymore, we are going to blacklist them.”
The 24.7km road was constructed at a cost of N$45.57 million and was fully funded by the Namibian Government. About 40 percent of the total cost of the project was paid to SMEs, according to Nghimtina.
Nghimtina further reminded motorists to take care of the roads, save lives and increase safety by adhering to road signs.
Meanwhile, the Roads Authority (RA) Chief Executive Officer Conrad Lutombi said the progress of transforming the Oshigambo-Eenhana road – which is adjacent to Onayena-Omahenge – into a bitumen surface is going well.
“The actual work started on February 14, 2014 and we are hoping to finish by May 2015,” Lutombi said.
So far 100 people are employed on the project but a total 300 people are expected to benefit in terms of employment by the completion of the project.
The 48km road is expected to cost government an estimated N$193 million.
By Helvy Shaanika