President Samia Suluhu Hassan has received a special award from the country’s contractors in recognition of her leadership and contribution to Tanzania’s construction sector over the past four years.
The award was presented on her behalf by Minister for Construction Abdallah Ulega during a ceremony held at The Dome in Masaki, Dar es Salaam.
Mr Ulega said the recognition was well-deserved, noting that the record levels of infrastructure development carried out under President Samia’s administration were visible both at home and abroad.
He cited the massive road and bridge projects implemented during the past four years, describing them as unprecedented in scale.
“Sometimes those of us who live in Tanzania may overlook the progress made. But recently, the President of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, said he now gets lost when visiting Dar es Salaam because of the major infrastructure changes taking place,” Mr Ulega said.
He added that Tanzania has significantly reduced transport barriers to regions such as Kigoma, with only a few kilometres left to complete the connection.
According to him, more bridges have been built in this first term of President Samia’s leadership than in any other administration in the country’s history.
The minister also underlined the government’s commitment to empowering local contractors, pointing out that firms owned by Tanzanians are now given preference in projects valued at up to TSh50 billion.
He said the move reflects the administration’s determination to increase opportunities for local participation in national development.
“The construction sector has become one of the strongest pillars of our economy, contributing 16 percent to the national GDP and creating around 1.8 million jobs,” Mr Ulega said.
At the same time, the minister directed the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Construction, Dr Charles Musonde, and the Chief Executive of the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads), Mohamed Besta, to work with experts and propose urgent measures to reduce traffic congestion at Kamata and Buguruni intersections in Dar es Salaam.
“These areas are among the key causes of congestion in the city centre. Once the technical report is complete, the government will move quickly to provide a lasting solution,” Mr Ulega said.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Contractors and Infrastructure Chamber (CCIZ), Mr Steven Mkomwa, said the sector had made significant strides in recent years.
However, he added that several challenges remained and needed to be addressed to sustain progress.