Bashungwa calls on engineers embrace AI
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN engineers have been challenged to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to address various community challenges that require engineering solutions.
The directives were issued Thursday by the Minister for Works, Mr Innocent Bashungwa, during the opening ceremony of the 21st Annual Engineers’ Day (AED) in Dar es salaam.
The event attracted around 4,000 participants and featured the theme “Setting the Engineering Workforce for the Artificial Intelligence Era: Training and Up skilling Engineering Practitioners,” along with the swearing-in of over 395 engineers.
“In today’s tech-driven world, AED should continue to be a special platform for exchanging experiences, innovation, and strengthening collaboration and joint strategies,” said Mr Bashungwa.
He challenged the engineers to consider how AI can address society’s issues, particularly in agriculture and other sectors to achieve significant success.
The minister commended some young engineers who have started using the technology to enhance productivity in sectors like agriculture and encouraged others to emulate their examples to create opportunities and solutions for community challenges.
Regarding local content, he assured engineers that the government is committed to promoting and protecting local contractors and their expertise.
Mr Bashungwa urged them to use the conference as an opportunity to discuss the government’s efforts to improve local content in the country.
He stated that the government has allocated 40 per cent of all projects to local contractors, with 95 per cent of registered contractors being locals, while only 60 per cent are foreign, aiming to increase local participation further.
The minister said the government, through the Ministry of Works, has allocated 840bn/- for 114 projects to repair bridges and culverts damaged by El Niño rains, emphasizing that local contractors should be considered for all budgeted projects based on established criteria.
He thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for amending the Public Procurement Act of 2023, which have raised the project value threshold from 10bn/- to 50bn/-, allowing local content to compete for these projects.
The ERB, Chairman Engineer Menye Manga stated that AED is significant for engineers to exchange ideas on new knowledge in engineering, share experiences, and identify various opportunities in different engineering sectors.
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He emphasized that engineering impacts various life sectors and that engineers’ participation is crucial in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The ERB Registrar, Engineer Benard Kavishe, mentioned that due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the board aims to enhance engineers’ skills for active participation in AI and soft skills usage.
He noted that the ERB continues its SEAP, which has significantly benefited around 13,000 professionals over the past 21 years.
