Member of Parliament for Nsanje South West Eurita Ntiza has ordered that two bridges built in her constituency should be demolished following concerns that the bridges are death traps.
The bridges which cost K14 million each have been constructed using taxpayers’ money through the Roads Authority.
One of the bridges is at Chididi river under Group Village Head Masimo in Traditional Authority Malemia and the other bridge is in T/A Ngabu.
Ntiza said lives of people are in danger due to poor workmanship. She condemned the Nsanje District Council for failing to monitor the two projects.
“We need to protect our people by demolishing the structures and meet the contractor so that we agree on one thing for the benefit of the community and the district at large,” she said.
Chairperson for Malemia Area Development Committee, Mathias Chilumba, noted that the Chididi bridge is in its final stages but there are concerns that it is a death trap to the road users.
Chilumba said the committee has established that there was very little cement used in the construction of the structure and the builders used wrong enforcement materials.
“Construction works of the bridge is at a finishing stage. We had to meet the communities and traditional leaders who made it very clear that the structure will no longer be habitable as it poses a threat to road users,” he said.
Contractor for the Chididi River Bridge Mary Bizeke Lupiya of M&H construction company admitted that the materials used for the project were not enough and substandard.
