Ensure quality, constructors challenged

Dar es Salaam. The Architects and Quantity Surveyors Registration Board (AQSRB) has been asked to publish indicative prices for minor building works – and encourage the public to utilise them in order to come up with quality buildings as a matter of course.

At the same time, the board has been directed to immediately cancel the registration of its members who have evidently been shown to involve themselves in corrupt practices in particular, and do not adhere to codes of ethics and regulatory frameworks.

The directive was issued yesterday by the Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Prof Makame Mbarawa, when officiating the ongoing 28th professionals seminar whose theme is about the mitigation of earthquakes, technical audits and maintenance in the construction industry.

In this era when the country has experienced earthquakes – and is seriously embarking on industrialization, it is imperative that Tanzania must have ethical and professional people in the field, the minister stressed.

“You need to evaluate ongoing construction to ensure they are done according to laid down standards – and are closely supervised by professionals in the field as the law directs,” Professor Mbarawa counseled.

Noting that Tanzania was currently undergoing major construction works, including highway flyovers – as well as a standard gauge railway system the construction of which the government signed contracts with three different contractors recently to the tune of Sh4.5 trillion – the minister saw it most fitting to insist on nothing but professionalism in the construction sector of the economy.

Also, at a time when many countries of the world continue to experience earthquakes, all countries – including Tanzania – must look into ways and means of reducing construction costs every which way as one way of attracting custom for the professionals in the industry.

For his part, the AQSR Board’s acting registrar, Albert Munuo, noted that a majority of investors in Tanzania were routinely adhering to the applicable legislation which requires them to utilize professionals in the construction Industry at all times.

“This is a huge step in the right direction – if only because it creates more opportunities for people practising in this field,” Mr. Munuo exulted.