Raise the Bar High – President Hichilema Urges Engineers

President Hakainde Hichilema has urged engineers to raise the bar in their profession by improving standards, ensuring quality of work, and delivering projects at the right cost.

He emphasised the importance of carrying out projects at the right price, saying there is need for change in the way things are done. The Head of State implored engineers to be prudent when costing projects, warning that this should not result in low-quality works.

The President made these remarks during the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) Annual General Meeting and Symposium at the Avani Hotel in Livingstone yesterday.

President Hichilema also noted that some bridges require repair because of bad workmanship. He stressed that engineers are the first line of call as they are involved in design and building, adding that quality works delivered on time will increase the reputation of the profession.

The President challenged engineers to continue being innovative and come up with solutions to some of the challenges the country is facing, such as the need to harvest rainwater, adding that innovativeness will give them a competitive advantage.

He urged engineers to think outside the box and not rely only on getting employed, because the engineering profession has a cross-cutting role in the economy.

“Your certificate only gets you in the room, that is when the work begins,” President Hichilema said.

He said all professionals in Zambia must focus on outcomes and deliverables and urged the EIZ to supervise skills training under the Constituency Development Fund, adding that government is ready to enter into a memorandum of understanding.

“Engineers, lawyers, architects, doctors; let us on focus on outcomes. If the processes don’t give us the outcome we want, we must change them. We want this economy to move, and move fast,” he said.

Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Charles Milupi encouraged engineers to take ownership of the country’s development agenda. He called on the EIZ to enhance accountability by reprimanding professional misconduct among its members.

Mr. Milupi said the country is heading towards forward-looking infrastructure planning that anticipates demand.

And EIZ President Eng. Wesley Kaluba called for the right incentives that will encourage and support engineers to design sustainable technology for economic development that benefits society.

He thanked President Hichilema and Government for approving charge-out rates for engineering professionals, saying this will help guide them on what to charge so that they get real value for their work.

Eng. Kaluba further called for the creation of an Engineer General’s Office, stressing that this will address many facets of public infrastructure development, such as quality, pricing, as well as shortcomings that arise from third-party interventions on critical engineering matters. He said such an office would give the profession a stronger position in monitoring engineering practice and help avoid shoddy works.