By Chisomo Phiri
The National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) has issued a stop order to halt the construction of the Jacaranda Shopping Centre along Masauko Chipembere Highway in Blantyre, due to non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
According to NCIC Acting Regulatory and Enforcement Director, Dorothy Nyong’onya, the site owner, CP Properties Limited, had engaged a contractor, Asil Interiors, whose license category has a limit of K50 million, which is not commensurate with the project’s scope.
“Despite the stop order issued on April 4, 2024, the contractor has been defiant, prompting us to involve the police to enforce the order.
“Furthermore, the contractor has violated health and safety regulations by failing to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers on site,”Nyong’onya explained.
She emphasized that such non-compliance has serious implications, including the risk of substandard construction that puts lives at risk.
“Our laws prescribe severe penalties for non-compliance, including the revocation of a construction license,”added Nyirongo.
Meanwhile, the contractor has been taken to the Blantyre police station for questioning.
