‘Construction bill must move beyond promises’

The Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) has called for concrete action on the long-awaited construction industries bill after works minister Veikko Nekundi announced the legislation is nearing submission to the Cabinet’s legislation committee.

In a media release yesterday, CIF chief executive Bärbel Kirchner says the announcement has renewed hopes within the construction sector that a construction council could finally be established, more than a decade after the bill was first presented to parliament.

“Nevertheless, previous unfulfilled promises warrant caution,” Kirchner says.

According to her, an earlier bill reached the National Assembly under former works minister Erkki Nghimtina in 2010.

“At the 2019 economic growth summit, the government promised that a construction council would be established by the end of the 2019/20 financial year.

Former prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila had also stated in parliament that a construction council would be established to support the local industry,” Kirchner says.

She adds that further work on the legislation followed extensive consultations facilitated by then works deputy minister James Sankwasa.

By 2022, a revised draft had reached the Cabinet and been discussed by its legislation committee under then minister John Mutorwa, with Nekundi serving as deputy minister, she says.

“The CIF hopes the renewed momentum will now translate these promises into legislation and implementation,” she says.

She adds that the CIF’s presentation at parliament in 2020 already proposed contractor registration and categorisation, matching project sizes to local capacity, smaller contracts and targeted training.

“An effective council, working alongside procurement authorities, could have supported these measures years ago. Dividing suitable large contracts into manageable lots could have widened participation, retained skills and strengthened local businesses,” she says.

Such measures could help broaden access to public projects, but the federation argues that they require a formal mechanism to assess contractors’ capabilities and identify areas where businesses need support, she says.

The CIF has also welcomed the local contractors development programme, which aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises, including through viable business models that reduce reliance on government contracts.

Kirchner says a construction council could help identify training and development needs and match contractors with projects appropriate to their experience and resources.

The federation has suggested that a pilot programme could begin before the council is fully established.

The federation has also raised concerns about skills shortages across the wider construction industry.

According to her, an analysis of its members’ needs has identified gaps at technical, supervisory and senior levels.

It says these shortages require attention as new industries create competing demand for skilled workers.

Kirchner argues that skills development should, therefore, extend beyond small contractors to include the broader workforce, helping the sector prepare for new projects while retaining experienced personnel.

The CIF has requested access to the latest version of the bill before it is submitted to the Cabinet’s legislation committee.

It has also calls for a clear implementation timetable and continued consultation on the contractor development programme.

Kirchner says the federation hoped the latest effort would bring the process to a conclusion.

She says a construction council could improve transparency in the awarding of contracts and provide a clearer basis for determining whether contractors have the capacity to undertake particular projects.

“Greater transparency is in the public interest and should be a reason to establish the council, and never a reason to delay it,” Kirchner says.

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