Give us a chance, say local builders

THE Chairperson of the Namibia National Contractors’ Association (Nanca) has appealed to Government to trust black Namibian construction companies and award them building contracts.

Michael Heita says that there is a misperception that local contractors cannot build buildings of a high standard, and that Government allocates most of its construction tenders to foreign companies. He said it was time that Government contracts were awarded to Namibian builders rather than Chinese companies, because it would create more jobs for Namibians.”Our people are able to do the job but they are not given the opportunities,” Heita told journalists who visited the Mwadikange Kaulinge Secondary School at Odobe in the Ohangwena Region.The school was built by members of Nanca, and Heita said it was a shining example of the quality work done by local contractors.He said the project was scheduled to be completed in four years, but the school had been built in only 10 months.According to Heita, Nanca had divided the work among all 33 of its members.The school, which cost Government N$43 million, has about 588 pupils.Other buildings completed by Nanca include the NamPost building at Outapi, the State Security offices at Ongwediva, the Negumbo lya Kandenge Secondary School at Onaanda, a clinic at Okatope and a clinic at Edundja.He said it was time that Government contracts were awarded to Namibian builders rather than Chinese companies, because it would create more jobs for Namibians.”Our people are able to do the job but they are not given the opportunities,” Heita told journalists who visited the Mwadikange Kaulinge Secondary School at Odobe in the Ohangwena Region.The school was built by members of Nanca, and Heita said it was a shining example of the quality work done by local contractors.He said the project was scheduled to be completed in four years, but the school had been built in only 10 months.According to Heita, Nanca had divided the work among all 33 of its members.The school, which cost Government N$43 million, has about 588 pupils.Other buildings completed by Nanca include the NamPost building at Outapi, the State Security offices at Ongwediva, the Negumbo lya Kandenge Secondary School at Onaanda, a clinic at Okatope and a clinic at Edundja.