Mozambique: Pandemic and attacks drive Zambezia contractors into bankruptcy – DW

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Mozambique: Pandemic and attacks drive Zambezia contractors into bankruptcy – DW

3:58 CAT | 07 Jan 2021

Construction and maintenance works for toilets were awarded to contractors from Maputo

More than half the 700 contractors in the province of Zambézia have gone bankrupt, mainly because of the Covid-19 pandemic and armed conflicts in central and northern Mozambique. Now they are asking the authorities for help.

The bankruptcy of Zambézia contractors took down dozens of workers with them; workers who had to look for alternative ways of supporting themselves and their families. “Many companies that operate in the area ended up ‘slipping’, and some of them closed,” says Zeca Dias, president of the Provincial Association of Contractors in Zambézia.

In addition to the Covid-19 pandemic, the fighting in central and northern Mozambique are identified as among the main causes. At the moment, the climate among contractors in Zambézia is one of outrage and discontent.

The contractors told DW off the record that some companies would have been able to survive had they been assigned the construction and maintenance works for toilets in schools in the province since the end of last year. But those carrying out the works are contractors from Maputo.

Contracts for Maputo contractors

“This news ended up creating high expectations. We were motivated, thinking the province was going to have work, but it was just a mirage,” Dias says.

Zcontr.dw_ — *Zeca Dias, president of the Zambézia Provincial Contractors Association*

“The competitors who got the work were from Maputo. I am not against those who won the contracts, but the country is unique, and we remain unemployed. It would be good to give priority to local companies,” he says.

Zeca Dias is concerned about the increase in unemployment in the sector. “We have been talking to the government about this situation, which is worrying for the local business sector and is causing more and more unemployment in our midst,” he says.

Care in awarding works

Local education authorities say they are not to blame for what has happened, as the contract for the Maputo contractors was signed by the Ministry of Education.

Despite this, the ministry has been warning some local public institutions like the Provincial Directorate of Public Works of Zambézia to be sensitive to possible corruption when awarding contracts.

“Botswana has the highest levels of corruption, while Rwanda today has none. We are among the worst examples,” Zambezia’s provincial chief prosecutor, Fred Jamal, complains.

Source: Deutsche Welle