Africa-Press – Namibia. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah yesterday warned local and multi-national contractors that government will not tolerate the inflation of prices and failure to deliver key capital projects on set deadlines.
Nandi-Ndaitwah was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Oute River Bridge in the Kunene region, where she underscored government’s commitment to infrastructure development as a key driver for the smooth movement of people and goods across the country.
She said while government continues to invest millions into infrastructure development, there are often rogue contractors who take advantage of government’s genuine efforts by billing the state inflated prices on projects and missing out on agreed deadlines.
That will not be tolerated, she warned, as close monitoring and periodical reporting on the progress of capital projects countrywide will become the norm going forward.
“The bridge construction should proceed simultaneously with the road construction, and no engineering steps should be skipped as shortcuts. Government will not tolerate price inflation after prices have been agreed upon. Government’s contingency funds are for urgent issues only, not to refinance delayed projects and inflated prices,” stated Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The President also acknowledged the commendable work done by her predecessors in advancing infrastructure projects that have improved the lives and livelihoods of Namibians.
She further assured residents of the Kunene region that the government will continue to prioritise safe and reliable road networks, enabling communities to access essential services both within the region and throughout the country.
“I called on the contractor to complete the project on time and with urgency while maintaining the highest standards of quality and engineering, in order to ensure Namibia attains an infrastructure asset that will serve generations to come. Namibia is known as one of the countries with the best road networks and we should continue on that path,” said the head of state.
Nandi-Ndaitwah is in the northern part of the country to commission various project, including the Oute River Bridge and the Opuwo-Okangwati-Orokaue Baynes Power Project.
She will also commission the Ohangwena II Wellfield Water Supply Scheme (WWS) Project at the NamWater Defluoridation Plant, which is estimated to cost over N$250 million, and includes laying 200km of pipelines, two existing boreholes at Oshandi that will be connected to a water tower.
Two new boreholes at Eenhana will also be drilled and connected. These will feed into an elevated reservoir at the Ondobe-Eenhana water tower, ensuring a sufficient water supply for villages in the area.
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