The contractor has been paid Sh 3.8 billion, which is 61.6% of the total cost. Photo: Courtesy
By Veronica Simba, WMA Dodoma
The ongoing construction of the Weights and Measures Agency (WMA) Headquarters is expected to be completed by January 2025.
This was revealed by Karim Zuberi, a representative of the WMA's Chief Executive Officer, during a site visit by Dodoma Regional Administrative Secretary, Kaspar Mmuya, on September 27, 2024. Mmuya visited the Medeli site in Dodoma to assess the progress of the project.
In a brief report presented to Mmuya, Zuberi stated that the contractor has 14 weeks remaining to finalize the two-and-a-half-year project, valued at over Sh 6.17 billion. "So far, the contractor has been paid Sh 3.8 billion, which is 61.6% of the total cost, while the project itself is 79.4% complete," Zuberi noted.
He went on to express gratitude to the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, for approving the internal revenue budget that has made this project possible. Among the anticipated benefits of the new headquarters, Zuberi highlighted the improvement in staff morale, driven by the provision of a more conducive working environment.
On his part, Regional Administrative Secretary Mmuya, who also serves as the Chairman of the WMA Advisory Committee for Dodoma Region, commended the ongoing work. However, he emphasized the importance of maintaining government building standards and urged both the contractor and the project consultant to ensure that all necessary infrastructure is accessible to people with disabilities.
Since the commencement of construction on July 2, 2022, several high-profile officials have visited the site, including the Prime Minister of Tanzania, Kassim Majaliwa, who laid the foundation stone on February 6, 2024.
Other key figures who have inspected the progress include Minister of Industry and Trade, Dr. Selemani Jafo (July 17, 2024), former Minister of Industry and Trade, Dr. Ashatu Kijaji (August 24, 2023), and the Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Dr. Hashil Abdallah (January 3, 2023).
The construction of the WMA Headquarters is being overseen by the consultant, MUST Consultancy Bureau Limited, while the contractor responsible for its execution is Mohammedi Builders Limited. WMA offices are present in all regions of mainland Tanzania, with the primary mandate of ensuring consumer and vendor protection through the proper use of measurement standards.