Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTRY of Arts, Culture and Sports and National Housing Cooperation (NHC) have signed an agreement with National Housing Corporation (NHC) that would see the latter constructing a six-storey building for the ministry.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Hassan Abbasi said the new structure will be built at Mtumba Government City in Dodoma and history in the ministry since its establishment.
He said for some time, the ministry has never had its own building in the city, but hired a building that has been a burden to the government.
“We thank President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her effort to ensure this ministry owns a building of this status…this also shows the government’s effort in pushing forward the sector,” he added.
Explaining, Dr Abbasi said it will consist of modern facilities such as a Conference Halls built at 22.8bn/- once complete within two years.
The PS further said that the ministry also plans to add more buildings to cater for sports and art facilities such as a Music Studio within the compound.
On his part, NHC Director General Dr Maulid Banyani thanked the government for the trust on their real estate implementation activities, and promised to complete the project in time and with intended quality.
“For us, we regard every project as a special operation, we are very happy to be party of this good history… the history of this strategic government city,” he pointed out.
Commenting, Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) acting Chief Executive Officer Said Mndeme narrated how their consultant engineers will ensure the building is professionally constructed.
“We (TBA), architected and designed the building, so our main duty now is to ensure that the contractor (NHC) completes the remaining part of making the drawing (designs) a reality,” he noted.
Mr Mndeme further said that the contractor will take a maximum of two years to complete the building and hand it over to the ministry.
Detailing how the building will be erected in phases, the National Committee for Coordinating the Government Plan Secretary shift to Dodoma, Mr Meshack Bandawe, said the second phase will have 24 buildings of five to 11 floors.
Bandawe hinted that so far only 8 ministries have signed contracts with the contractor to start construction of their buildings.
He added that the second phase will also include the installation of underground electric and communications infrastructures.
