The Kitui County government will firmly deal with rogue road contractors in a bid to curb shoddy works that cost lives as well as capital investment.
Speaking in Katulani Friday, Governor Charity Ngilu decried the influx of quacks in the road construction sector saying a number of projects in the region are incomplete because of poor road works undertaken by rogue contractors.
Ngilu noted that contractors had failed to benchmark themselves with international standards, resulting in shoddy work.
The governor called on the National Construction Authority (NCA) to start weeding out rogue contractors to curb incidents of poor workmanship and misuse of funds.
‘My government shall promote the development of road networks countywide through the accreditation and award of qualified construction companies to construct roads,’ she said.
Ngilu said the development and maintenance of physical infrastructure especially feeder roads is a prerequisite for rapid economic growth and poverty reduction in the country.
The road network’s operating condition in Kitui has suffered from inadequate maintenance, repair and rehabilitation for decades,’ noted the Governor.
The County Boss observed that the rehabilitation and tarmacking of feeder roads will influence production costs, create employment, and ease access to markets and investment.
‘Feeder roads open up remote areas for the benefit of businesses, improve communication and enable farmers’ produce reach the market at less costs,’ said the Governor.
She said that the county government is investing in the rehabilitation of feeder roads by awarding qualified local contractors tenders to showcase their acumen in road construction rather than relying on multinationals.
Ngilu lamented the wastage of skilled youth in the country due to increasing levels of unemployment each year adding that if local contractors get more contracts to build roads they will absorb more youth into the job market.
By Yobesh Onwong’a
