CHIEF Mpidi of the Lunda people of Zambezi District in North-Western Province has said he wants Chinese Companies to be awarded contracts to construct schools, health centres and other infrastructure in the area because their work quality is better than local contractors.

Chief Mpidi said local contractors like the one who was constructing a school in the area were doing a pathetic job and so it was imperative that Chinese contractors who are able to do quality works were awarded contracts to carry out such projects in his area.

Chief Mpidi was speaking on Tuesday in Solwezi when other chiefs from Zambezi met North-Western Province Minister Daniel Kalenga to welcome him to the province and inform him about the various challenges and problems they were facing in their areas and the district as a whole.

Chief Mpidi said it was shocking that some local contractors were doing everything possible to get contracts from Government but were failing to carry out quality works that could set good standards for the country.

He said foreigners would not respect Zambians unless Zambians themselves work hard to set good standards.

"We need to set good standards in whatever we do. We should set standards in construction works so that even foreigners who are coming can follow suit, but what is happening is that foreigners like Chinese companies are the ones that are putting up good works, especially in the construction industry.

"When you come and see the quality of works that a certain local contractor is carrying out in my area, it is pathetic and so this is why I want Chinese companies to be awarded contracts to carry out construction works of schools, health institutions and other infrastructure in my area," Chief Mpidi said.

And Chief Mpidi has castigated some Members of Parliament (MPs) in the province for their failure to spearhead development in their respective constituencies.

Chief Mpidi said it was sad that some MPs were just getting allowances from Parliament, but were failing to effectively represent the electorate in their constituencies.

He said the fact that some MPs had just gone to Parliament to get allowances without working for them was just as good as committing daylight robbery without violence.

"Yes, some of these MPs do not come to their constituencies and there are no developmental projects they have initiated that they can point at, but they get their allowances every time they are in Parliament and to me this is daylight robbery without violence," he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Mpidi has advised Government to involve chiefs in various developmental projects taking place in their areas so that the link between chiefs and Government could be strengthened.

He said it was sad that some times developmental projects were being carried out in chiefdoms without the knowledge of the chiefs.

"Some times Government may think we are not supporting developmental projects in our areas, but we can't support something which we have not been invited to. We can't support something we do not know about. Chiefs want to work with Government, but sometimes it is the Government which disappoint the chiefs," he said.