Citizen contractors sold a dummy

Government’s promise to benefit and enrich citizen contractors by unbundling huge projects through Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) has been thrown in doubt, Botswana Guardian has established.

Government has promised on several occasions at different fora by President Ian Khama, cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and other government officials that through the ESP, Batswana, especially those in the construction industry are to benefit and create more employment for Batswana as the programme is among others tailor-made largely for them.

Investigations by Botswana Guardian suggest that citizen contractors continue to be disadvantaged by the programme. This is largely because most huge projects under the first batch, second batch and third batch have not been unbundled. Construction companies registered with Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) have been invited to express interest to carry out infrastructure projects under the ESP for Building, Electrical and Mechanical Works across the country.

The Ministry of Infrastructure Science and Technology (MIST) has been tasked on behalf of all ministries with the responsibility of coordinating the process of procurement of construction contracts for the projects. After the expression of interest the following stage is expected to be competitive bidding, which is set to take place before beginning of the 2016/17 financial year in April this year. Documents on ESP from MIST, assessed by this publication shows huge projects, which have not been unbundled and are to be tendered for by companies in category D with a ceiling of P30 million and E which is unlimited.

Companies in these categories are mostly foreign owned. Most citizen contractors fall in category OC with a ceiling of P1.5 million, category A (P3 million) and category B (P7.2 million) and others in category C (P12 million.) According to documents in possession of this publication companies in category OC, A, B and C are expected to tender for projects in which they will construct mainly one unit to about seven units of staff houses for teachers, nurses and in some areas toilets especially in remote areas.

On the other hand big projects like building of police stations, schools, hospitals and some maintenance are exclusively reserved for contractors in category D, which are foreign owned. Contractors who spoke to this publication said that their expectation was that the projects would be unbundled. “If you take for instance building of teachers’ houses in the number of ten, only category D and E are to apply. Why can’t they unbundle that and ensure that at least one citizen contractor gets one or two houses to construct so that as many as we are as citizen contractors get a fair share”, asked a contractor who did not want to be named.

Another contractor said, “You can also see that most of those projects where citizens are to benefit are in very remote areas. So how do you expect a newly registered contractor without funds or equipment to undertake work in Zutshwa, Xhumo, Vaalhoek and Omaweneno? This means there would not be any profit because all the funds will go towards transportation of material and other things. People should know that construction industry is very expensive.”

Botswana Guardian can reveal that Grade E contractors will construct 12 staff houses in Francistown under the expansion of Goldmine junior school and 12 staff houses for expansion of Selolwane junior school; construction of 84 staff houses for Mogoditshane Senior Secondary School; 55 staff houses in Mmathubudukwane and a police station; and refurbishment of Old Sekgoma Memorial Hospital in Serowe among others.

The same goes for Mechanical and Electrical works. In another document in possession of this publication for Kgatleng District close to 400 citizen owned contractors have submitted their expression of interest to bid for the construction of six and half double classrooms (Grade C companies) three water system toilets (Grade A) and eight teachers’ quarters (Grade B) at Segale Primary School in Mochudi.

MIST Permanent Secretary Dikagiso Mokotedi and PPADB Executive Director Elijah Motshidi could not be reached for comment at the timer of going to press. Construction Industry Authority Botswana (CIAB) Meanwhile a Layman’s construction industry draft bill has been concluded and early this week was handed over to the ministry to be tabled before Parliament.

The objective of CIAB Bill is to implement an integrated strategy for the reconstruction, growth and development of the construction industry in Botswana.