Robert Mwanje
16 November 2009
The Uganda National Association of Builders, Civil Engineers and Contractors is to build a Sh150b engineering institute, officials have said.
Unabcec Secretary General Pius Mugerwa Mugalaasi said the body has secured land to establish the institute.
Engineers said since the transformation of Busitema Technical Institute into a university, construction firms are lacking qualified machinery operators which results into shoddy construction work.
"The institute will solve the problem of using semi-skilled operators in the construction field. This will reduce shoddy works because in engineering, regardless of the amount of money you may have, the technical knowhow prevails," Eng. Mugalaasi said during the inauguration of the newly elected association national executive committee at Serena Hotel on Friday.
He said the majority of construction machinery operators in Uganda lack required qualifications as they are trained on the job.
The institute will train operators of road construction equipment like graders, tractors, and excavators.
The developments come at a time when the local construction industry has been tainted with construction of shoddy work and collapsing buildings.
Recently, government said it would scrutinise construction firms and grade them as a measure to curb shoddy work on public utilities like roads, schools and hospitals Minister of State for Works John Byabagambi said a special committee has been set up to identify construction companies that can be trusted by the government.
"We are putting in place a regulatory committee to select construction companies which government can believe in. We shall grade them and identify well equipped firms which can give us a durable product," Mr Byabagambi said recently.
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