David Mugabe
8 July 2009
Kampala — THE seventh construction exhibition will be held at the end of this month as the industry tries to address some of the key challenges that saw it fall by 5.4%.
The lowest growth rate in the last financial year was in the construction industry as prices of steel and cement short up to unprecedented levels. It dropped from 9% to about 3.6% because of the high input costs. This has been one of the sharpest sector falls in the last one year.
In Uganda, the industry has also suffered a series of avoidable tragic incidences like buildings collapsing due to poor workmanship as well as use of low quality products.
"People become so excited about constructing and finishing than minding about the quality of their work. They now realise they are losing so they go back to the drawing board," said Judith Nabatanzi, Business Manager, International links, the firm organising the exhibition together with the ministry of lands, housing and urban development.
The exhibition runs from July 30 to August 1, 2009 at the Lugogo show ground. Companies are expected to exhibit finishing materials, cement, roofing tiles, terraces and gardening aggregates among others.
"We expect the price of building materials to start going down since the dollar has also started going down. People will be advised on best practices in the construction industry, the exhibitions have improved information flow, and also increased competition and end product which have ended up benefiting the consumers," said Nabatanzi.
Nabatanzi says the industry has for instance seen a change in the way housing pavers are made. Last year, 50 companies exhibited and this year some 60 companies are expected to take part.
The exhibition will end with a seminar where participants and other industry players will air out their views to government to help ease the challenges of the sector.
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