TANZANIA: MINISTER for Works, Innocent Bashungwa has given a one-month ultimatum to the national local contractors’ empowerment committee to increase the participation of domestic firms in construction projects.
He gave the ultimatum over the weekend during his meeting with the committee, which was meant to cater to local content in the construction projects.
“You must empower the local contractors in project write-up, tendering, contracts, winning criteria and preparation of the legal documents,” he said.
Minister Bashungwa asked the committee to conduct a survey of successful countries which are doing well in the local content and borrow a leaf to increase participation of the local contractors in strategic construction projects. Mr Bashungwa insisted on a special programme of empowerment and increased the scope of talented professionals in the construction sector with the needed skills that will contribute to the sector’s development.
The minister said it is time for the local contractors to engage in the construction projects so that the foreign currency and revenue remain in the country, enhance skills and technology transfer and have in place contractors who can compete in the international circles.
He added that the committee in their report must include the need to have in place a conducive environment to empower and facilitate local contractors in the implementation of their projects. He said the government has set in place rules and regulations to empower the local contractors in projects from 10bn/- to 50bn/- so that they take part in many projects.
On his part, the Committee Chairman who is also Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Construction Council (NCC), Dr Matiko Mturi assured the minister that they will engage all key stakeholders to ensure the country has in place local contractors who are skilled and well equipped to undertake construction projects.
He said they are collecting views and recommendations from stakeholders to have in place an empowerment programme for local contractors that will contribute to the national economic development. In the ten years, he said, the government has implemented 36,839 registered construction projects worth 61.6tri/-.
The Committee to increase local contractors’ implementation projects includes members from NCC, Engineers Registration Board (ERB), Contractors Registration Board (CRB), Road Fund Board (RFB), TANROADS and Architect and Quantity Surveyors Registration Board (AQRB).
