DODOMA: THE government has reaffirmed its commitment to considering local engineering firms when bidding tenders for implementation of flagship projects which cost not more than 50bn/-, in renewed efforts to protect local contractors’ economies in the country.
The commitment was made in Dodoma on Wednesday by the Minister of Finance, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba during a joint consultative meeting between the government and local contractors and consultants aiming at discussing the latter’s role in the implementation of various projects.
According to the finance minister, it was not clicking into people’s minds, seeing foreign contractors taking large shares of the projects being implemented in the country, while there are many engineers with class I who were capable of executing those construction works.
“I ask local contractors to grab this golden opportunity by bidding in all major tenders that the government will float provided that their cost does not exceed 50bn/-,’’ he said, adding that it was now high time Tanzanian citizens were becoming main contractors while employing foreign engineering firms as sub-contractors.
Available statistics in the Ministry of Transport indicate that registered contractors in the country were 14,800 out of which 14,300 (equivalent to 54 per cent) were local contractors, while 500 (46 per cent) were foreign contractors.
According to Dr Nchemba, 61per cent of the projects were being implemented by foreign firms while local contractors who are many in numbers constituted only 38 per cent of the projects.
“I feel very bad when I endorse billions of shillings for paying international firms while we have first class contractors who are capable of implementing these projects,’’ he said, adding that it was possible for Tanzanians to execute these projects provided that they were confident enough as well as strengthening their capacity to deliver as per contracts obligations.
The meeting yesterday sought to look at all possible measures that would see more local contractors grabbing grand projects that are being implemented in the country, in ensuring that the money disbursed by the treasury was remaining in the country.
The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Transport through the Contractors Registration Board (CRB), Engineers Registration Board (ERB) and Architects and Quantity Surveyors Registration Board (AQRB).
The professionals met following a directive by the Minister of Transport, Innocent Bashungwa two weeks ago that the three crucial boards supervising engineers and contractors come up with a comprehensive draft of the local content plan, in efforts to ensure that tenders floated in the country are grabbed by a greater number of Tanzanians.
He gave the directives when launching the CRB and ERB respectively at an event that was equally attended by representatives from top management of the two boards.
The minister also tasked the two boards to come up with a capacity building plan aiming to increase skills to engineers so that they can deliver to expectations of the various projects that are currently being implemented in the country. According to the minister, the two boards were duty bound to have a coherent plan that will see the country having the best professional engineers.
The committee that was formed by the government ahead of yesterday’s meeting to establish all bottlenecks that were impeding local contractors in accessing tenders for the implementation of major projects, presented before the two ministers the challenges they were facing. The meeting was also attended by Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Secretary General, Daniel Chongolo.
According to the committee chairperson, Engineer Samson Matiko, there were seven challenges that local contractors were facing in accessing tenders for different projects, including unfriendly tendering conditions that include annual turnover, bank guarantee, experience in implementing similar projects as well as equipment among others.
He said that there was also lack of a comprehensive capacity building plan for engineers in the country, insisting that the meeting on Wednesday would come up with conclusive solutions.
