NGPU March 26, 2024

County Officials Meet Contractors to Enhance Project Delivery

Written by Nancy Kihara

The Department of Infrastructure has convened a consultative meeting with contractors to address their concerns and enhance project delivery.

The meeting was chaired by the County Secretary Dr. Samuel Mwaura with the main areas of discussion being timelines, quality of implementations of contracts, and resolving challenges hindering efficient project execution.

Contractors raised several issues, including delays in the procurement process, unfair distribution of jobs, extension of projects beyond the established system, and payment delays.

The County Secretary emphasized the streamlining of procurement processes and promoting transparency through project committees. He also announced forthcoming guidelines aimed at expediting project timelines and ensuring all instructions are documented in writing.

Chief Officer for Public Works Samwel Ndegwa, highlighted adjustments made to Bills of Quantities (BQs) to align costs with prevailing market rates. The acting Director for Roads and Transport Director Sirma, announced the implementation of new rates for the current financial year, following a comprehensive review.

The meeting also addressed inclusivity, with a focus on empowering women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in project participation. Plans were outlined for conducting audits to evaluate the equitable distribution of projects across departments. Additionally, efforts are underway to ensure accurate documentation to facilitate efficient payment processing.

CS Mwaura reiterated the County Government’s commitment to providing feedback via the contractors’ association, underscoring the collaborative efforts between the government and contractors in pursuit of shared objectives.

Present were the County Executive Member for Infrastructure Eng Michael Kamau, Chief Officer for water and Sanitation Margaret Kinyanjui, Chief officer for Public Transport and roads Kennedy Mugo, County Electrical Engineer Daniel Odero and Engineers from the Department of Infrastructure.