Engineers want compulsory technical audits of all work

 THE Government could have thrown away hundreds of millions of kina on poor quality roads over the years, an engineers’ workshop in Lae heard.

Institute of Engineers president Benedict Mick told about 100 engineers at the Technical Auditing of Government Funded Projects workshop in Lae the Government must legislate for compulsory technical audits on completed road construction.

“Otherwise we will continue to lose hundreds of millions of kina on poor quality roads,” he said.

“We will not get value for money if we do not legislate for technical audits to be compulsory.”

Works Department acting secretary David Wereh and Transport Department secretary Roy Mumu attended the workshop.

Mumu and Wereh agreed with Mick and other workshop speakers that there were no technical audits done on completed roads, bridges and even airport infrastructure.

Morobe Governor Kelly Naru highlighted that while speaking about the K800 million super highway from Lae to Nadzab during the workshop opening.

“Is it really worth all that money? Was that figure arrived at by proper scoping and design?” he said.

“We must not always take things at face value. We must do independent technical audits to verify the contract value.” 

He queried the integrity of auditors. 

“When we are talking mega-bucks, we must check the independence of the independent auditor too.”  

Mick said the institute was in the process of putting together an experienced team of national engineers to audit the Lae-Nadzab four-lane project.

“We are putting together a team. I assure you it will be an independent audit,” he said.