Construction firms in Tanzania have been directed to provide workers with contracts in a bid to boost efficiency in the sector. Transport and Communications Minister, Prof Makame Mbarawa said that the contracts will boost workers’ morale and enhance quality of work produced.
Mr Mbarawa was speaking while inspecting the Dodoma-Babati Road that is under constraction. He added that contracts would help speed projects that are currently ongoing.
“Construction workers should be given legal contracts in as required by the law,” he said.
The road construction project has been divided into three areas namely Dodoma-Mayamaya 43.65 km, Mayamaya-Mela 99.35 km and Mela-Bonga 88.8 km.
It includes four large bridges including of the 200 metres Kalema Bridge. Other three bridges are the 45 metres Msui Bridge, the 30 metres Kingali Bridge and the 30 metres Mela bridge.
The Dodoma-Babati is part of the Great-North stretching from Cairo in Egypt to Cape Town in South Africa. Prof Mbarawa directed the construction firm, which is carrying out the road project, to finalize the construction before the rainy season noting that the road would facilitate economic development.
The Minister noted that it was vital for the public projects to show value for money by lasting long.
It is common in Africa for construction workers to work without contracts and in most cases under poor pay. In Kenya workers from SGR Section 8 in Syokimau on Friday protested claims of mistreatment, inadequate compensation and poor working conditions.
The workers also claimed the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) sacks them without notice while their contracts were not clear. “They never give you any warning letters to sign, but on dismissal they will hand you a number of letters supposedly signed by you,” one construction worker claimed at the Standard Group offices on Mombasa Road, Nairobi on Friday.
