Nkasi — DEPUTY Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr Aggrey Mwanri has advised the District and Municipal Councils in the country to use available local masons from rural areas to undertake construction of development projects, including classrooms.

Mr Mwanri said that the masons should replace contracts delivered below standards at huge costs. He however said such contractors must be under close supervision of District and Municipal councils' engineers.

He made the recommendation after inspecting and launching the construction of two classrooms at Ntanganyika Primary School at Chala in the Nkasi District which were constructed at required standard, costing only 8m/-, instead of 40m/-.

Mr Mwanri and his entourage were much impressed by the workmanship of the local masons on the construction of the two classrooms at the cheapest cost. "I am impressed. I recommend municipal and district councils in the country to use these masons.

We have just witnessed how best they are, so if they are supervised well by our engineers, I am sure they will deliver", he said adding he was disappointed with some of local contractors who deliver their work below standard.

Speaking at the same event, the Nkasi District Commissioner, Mr Iddy Kimanta, said if the two classrooms could not have been built by local contractors, they could have cost 40m/-. Mr Mwanri has also insisted that any District , Municipal and City Councils in the country which receives dirty financial certificate from Controller and Auditor General (CAG) will not be given government subsidy.

He added that he was very sad to hear report from Nkasi District Council, that it has received dirty financial certificate. "You should shun from laxity in efforts to avoid misappropriation of money allocated to implement several projects in your wards otherwise your councils will get dirty certificate from CAG", insisted Mr Mwanri. The deputy minister also raised his concerns over various development projects he inspected during his week-long working tour.