* Other professionals such as lawyers, medical doctors and accountants that face disciplinary action for unethical conduct
* But the construction professionals do not get punishment for their poor workmanship and other professional malpractices in the industry
By Pempho Nkhoma, MANA
Minister of Trade & Industry, Vitumbiko Mumba, has bemoaned and attributed Malawi’s poor quality infrastructure to the construction industry’s lack of a code of ethics, emphasising the need for professionals in the sector to adopt set of principles that promote accountability, transparency and quality work.
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Mumba, who is also a professional in the industry, said this yesterday at COMESA Hall in Blantyre when he held a public lecture under the theme; ‘Code of Ethics in Malawi’s Construction Industry.
Mumba said unlike other professionals such as lawyers, medical doctors and accountants that face disciplinary action for unethical conduct, but the construction professionals do not get punishment for their poor workmanship and other professional malpractices in the industry.
“Sometimes in the daily papers, we see lawyers, even medical doctors being punished but you will never see an engineer, architects or surveyor being punished.
Yet to be seen if Lilongwe Chilima Highway will withstand good workmanship
“We shield each other and this is the reason we have poor infrastructures in the country,” said Minister, adding that good work ethics is the best way of combating corruption — while emphasising that the Malawi’s construction sector has been named the most corrupt.
“Yet many accidents are happening daily. People are dying on our roads every day because of poor road infrastructure, but no action is taken against those responsible for constructing the road.”
He also raised concern over the number of unregistered construction companies and described corruption as a key obstacle to infrastructure development.
The Minister called for the establishment of systems to hold professionals accountable, stressing the need for ethical conduct in the sector — while emphasising that the Malawi’s construction sector has been named the most corrupt.
“I know politicians give us pressure. We need to tell the politicians the truth, give them options, let them decide,” he said.
A jam packed COMESA Hall
On his part, Executive Dean for the School of Engineering at Malawi University of Business and Applied Science (MUBAS), Associate Prof. Burnet Mkandawire, acknowledged the importance of having a code of ethics in the construction sector, saying it is in the university’s engineering curriculum.
“We encourage student to abide by code of conducts,” he said. “Code of ethics is very important to an engineer — whether a student or a practicing professional.
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“This public lecture couldn’t come at a better time than this,” he added — while former Mayor for Blantyre City, Noel Chalamanda agreed that code of ethics is essential, and stressed the need for continued trainings for professionals to effectively serve the public better.
“More importantly, there has to be a platform known to the public where concerned members of the public can lodge their complains,” Chalamanda said.
Various industry professionals, policy makers, religious leaders, students, members of the public attended the public lecture at Comesa Hall where promotion of ethical leadership and professional conduct within Malawi’s construction industry was emphasised for action.—Additional reporting by Wisdom Chirombo
