The World Bank in collaboration with Rural Electrification Authority – REA and national power utility ZESCO held an energy sector knowledge sharing workshop on November 12, 2019 were the world bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Zambian government to continuously improve and the Institutionalizing of procurement capacity and development.
The workshop were the Zambian Business Times – ZBT was invited, was designed to impart knowledge on enhancing the capacity of local contractors in the procurement of energy sector projects under the Zambia Electricity Services Access Project (ZESAP).
World Bank Country Manager Dr. Sahr Kpundeh said that the world bank has been supporting procurement policy reform and strengthening capacity of the Zambia Public Procurement Authority – ZPPA, enhancement of the Capacity of the Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supplies – ZIPS and its Educational programme, and roll out e-Government procurement system.
He added that the world bank has supported the Government through working with ZPPA to review the public procurement system using the OECD Methodology called the Maps 11. ‘‘You may wish to know that one of the objectives of procurement done under the world bank financed contracts is the development of the local private sector, the Bank is therefore keenly interested to learn from the various stakeholders in the energy sector and would like to see how the recommendations would be implemented,’’ he said.
The event attracted CEOs from various energy sector, government institutions, representatives of various private sector constructors and consultants in energy sector.
Meanwhile, in a separate exclusive interview with ZBT, President for Zambia Association of Women in Construction, Dorothy Mulwila called for the reconsideration of women in construction sector saying from the 20% sub contracts, 30% should go to the women.
‘‘We are able, we have been trained to undertake these works to the satisfaction of the employer or contractor, but what it is now is that we are failing because of the requirements put up. The bid securities, and the qualifications that are needed cannot be met by most woman or indeed a Zambian, so we are requesting that these things are reconsidered,’’ she said.
