Contractors urged to refrain from bribes

DAILY NEWS Reporter

Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Prof Makame Mbarawa

THE government has commended the good work by Contractors Registration Board (CRB), promising that local contractors will be favoured in major construction projects as a way to build their capacity.

The Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, Prof Makame Mbarawa, made the remarks at the end of the week, when closing CRB’s two-day annual consultative meeting in Dar es Salaam.

The two-day CRB consultative meeting was inaugurated by President John Magufuli. Prof Mbarawa said it is the responsibility of the government to build local contractors capacity because no foreigner or visitor who will come and assist Tanzania in that field.

The minister, however, called on the local contractors to adhere to project contract agreements including on standards and high quality when implementing projects. “This is an opportunity that you must quickly seize and most times such chances come only once.

My ministry and other ministries will favour local contractors in construction projects but you must also show you are capable of executing the project by adhering to high quality standards,” Prof Mbarawa stressed.

The minister said: “There will be many such opportunities as the 5th government is keen on industrial revolution and taking the nation into a medium income country. There will be opportunities to construct industries...you must have a strategy on how to access all these opportunities,” he explained.

He said the government’s vision to build high standard infrastructure in the country will not be feasible without having local contractors with the required capacity to implement the projects in the high quality standards needed.

CRB Chairperson, Eng. Consolate Ngimbwa said the board will not hesitate to take stern measures against contractors who will implement projects below standards outlined in contract agreements.

The Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication Permanent Secretary (PS) Eng. Joseph Nyamhanga said for local contractors to be trusted to implement major projects, they must implement and complete projects on time and to high quality standards.

PS Nyamhanga called upon the local contractors to adhere to work ethics and refrain from lobbying through bribes to win construction tenders.

“When President Magufuli says he hates corruption, he is not joking. That is why when inaugurating this meeting he brought the PCCB director general along. Corruption in his sector is not a joke,” he explained