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Government will not extend construction works at Kasama Airport because the contractor was given an extension on two accounts due to heavy rains.
Transport and Logistics Permanent Secretary, Fredrick Mwalusaka said this on Friday during a courtesy call on Northern Province administration.
Mwalusaka told Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Mpundu, that two extensions had already been granted to the contractor on account of heavy rainfall that was experienced during the last rain season.
He pointed out that while the contract was issued in September 2022, works at the Kasama Airport Runway was expected to be completed by December 31, 2022 but so far, 60 percent had been done.
Mwalusaka explained that the main objective of the tour to the Province was to see the progress of the works on the airport, which started in 2014 but stalled until August 2022 when the President attended the traditional ceremony and directed that the works be completed.
“Government appreciates the transport challenges being experienced by all provincial administrations but assured his counterpart that the Ministry of Transport and Logistics is working hand-in-hand with Cabinet Office to ensure that government transport is made available,” Mwalusaka said.
He said the call for speedy completion of the works was unanimously echoed by all the Permanent Secretaries on tour.
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Northern Province Permanent Secretary Mpundu expressed gratitude that the engineers mandated to work on the project have so far done a commendable job despite the unfriendly weather conditions.
“Paramount Chief Chitimukulu and Senior Chief Mwamba on Thursday visited the site to acquaint themselves with the works and are very impressed with the positive progress,” Mpundu said.
He said the new airport was poised to change the face of the Northern Province once President Hichilema commissions it.
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