The National Bank of Commerce (NBC) has pledged to cooperate with the government and contractors to ensure that projects built for the benefit of Tanzanians are completed on time.
The bank’s Kahama Branch Manager, Mr Simon Ntwale said that the bank has been taking part actively in the construction of the mega SGR projects.
“We at NBC have been actively involved in enabling contractor, Yapi Merkezi to purchase the construction facilities and also facilitated the entire exercise of compensating the community who paved the way for the project implementation,” he said at the inauguration of the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Tabora to Isaka held in Kahama District, Shinyanga Region recently.
He said NBC Bank through its services has also successfully purchased modern railway locomotives for the project.
Earlier, giving details of the construction of the project, Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) Managing Director Mr Masanja Kadogosa said the capacity of the modern SGR will be 120 tonnes per carriage, three times as much compared to the current railway line with a capacity of 40 tonnes.
He also said that TRC hopes to upgrade the railway academy in Tabora and be able to offer a degree in engineering on railway operations once completed.
He added that the TRC has continued to significantly save costs through railway construction contracts that do not allow for an increase in construction costs from contractors due to the change in prices of materials and raw materials.
