GULU- Local contractors in Acholi Sub Region have petitioned the Directorate of Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets [PPDA] over the high cost of bids for government contracts.
The concern was raised by the different engineers in a recent engineers’ conference held in Gulu City to discuss the physical development plan and infrastructural growth in the region.
Amos Kidega, a civil engineer and a local contractor in Gulu noted that the high cost of bids for local government contracts disadvantages local contractors as they don’t have enough funds, which he also said also eliminates the principle of fair competition.
Kidega explained that a number of contractors with skilled and professional technical people have been rendered jobless since they cannot secure government contracts to showcase their expertise.
“I lost a bid to construct the drainage channel in Gulu City. They asked me to pay Shs 40 million as bid security. The contract was given to another firm that later abandoned work,” Kidega disclosed at a conference recently.
His counterpart, the Nwoya district civil engineer and a founding member of Acholi Engineers Forum, Albert Oloya urged the local governments to allocate specific contracts to local contractors who cannot compete with finically powerful foreign companies.
In his keynote address, Dr. Ambassador Olara Otunu, appealed to the government to turn the country into a centre of excellence for technical training and promote local innovations.
Meanwhile, Jossy Muhangi, the Communication Outreach Officer with the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation revealed that plans are underway to build the capacity of local contractors.
Muhangi explained that the government has acquired a loan of Shs 435 million dollars from Exim Bank in China for the construction of a skills and innovation training centre to support innovators in the Country.
He revealed that part of the funds will cater for the purchase of heavy equipment for the construction. He said local contractors will be allowed to hire the equipment at relatively low prices to do their work.
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