Preps for urban infrastructure project in top gear
TENDER board members from district and town councils that will benefit from the first phase of the World Bank’s funded project to strengthen urban management performance and deliver improved basic infrastructure and services convened in Tanga for capacity building workshop.
At least seven million residents in 45 district and urban councils are expected to benefit from the project estimated to cost 410 million US dollars that is scheduled to begin in August, this year.
The project will run for six years and is expected to bring significant improvements to the well-being of the urban population.
The World Bank approved 278 million US dollars for the Tanzania Cities, Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness (TACTIC) project in June last year, according to the project’s assistant coordinator, Emmanuel Manyanga, who was speaking in Tanga yesterday at the beginning of a 2-day capacity building workshop for members of tender boards from 12 urban councils.
The first phase of the project will be implemented by 12 urban councils chosen based on the criterion of fast population growth rate according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census (PHC), Manyanga told the media at a press briefing.
The twelve councils are Arusha, Dodoma, Tabora, and Kigoma (Zone one), Mwanza, Ilemela, Kahama, and Geita (Zone two), and Morogoro, Songea, Rukwa, and Mbeya (Zone three).
According to him, the first phase councils were chosen based on their capacity for implementation, which states that they should be 40 per cent ready for implementation.
Twelve additional urban councils, including Tanga City, whose population growth rates are slower than those in the first phase, would follow in the second phase, and the remaining 18 councils, primarily those who have recently been promoted to Township councils, would follow in the third phase.
According to Manyanga, the projects that would be carried out would focus to improve the infrastructure, such as roads, bus stations and markets.
The capacity building training commenced with tender board members, such as chairmen and directors from respective councils, as they are entrusted with the crucial role of evaluating and approving the tender proposals that have already been advertised.
According to Manyanga, offering training to the members of the tender board is crucial to ensure they possess the appropriate expertise and knowledge required to make informed decisions that will lead to improved efficiency and effectiveness in procurement procedures.
He added that it is essential to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure the evaluation process runs efficiently.
The project has come at an opportune moment, said the chairman of the tender board at Kahama Town Council, Clemence Mkusa.
“It will efficiently tackle various infrastructure issues in urban areas,” he said.
He declared that Kahama was prepared to carry out the project. Roads, industrial roads, and a central market with a section for small traders (Machinga) are among the projects that will be put into action.
