The  National Construction Industry Council (NCIC), in its ‘Needs Assessment Report’ has outlined reasons why the construction industry in the country makes substandard infrastructure.

Lead researcher on the report, Patsani Kumambala, presented the report to players in the industry based in the Northern region yesterday, where he stated that government entities and non-governmental organizations rate substandard construction materials as the number one challenge in the industry while contractors rate lack of access to credit facilities as the main challenge. “There is also local firm’s lack of access to credit facilities and this is worsened by the fact that the industry is open to international competitors who use economies of scale to outcompete local firms.” said the engineer.

The report also outlined that the sector faces scarcity of experienced personnel, while factoring in corruption and political interference in awarding contracts.

During the meeting, Malawi Building Contractors and Allied Trade Association chairperson Wilky Mhango blamed the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) for the influx of substandard goods, as MBS should be enforcing quality.