The Architects and Quantity Surveyors Board (AQRB) has requested the government to move forward the formation of the National Building Act that would help oversee and promote consistency in construction of buildings and other related matters in the industry.
Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam the Chairman of the board, Dr Ambwene Mwakyusa, said the board proposed the formation of the Act and handed its views to the government for further action.
“It is almost six years since we proposed to the government for the formulation of the National Building Act. Unfortunately, we have not had any action concerning the Act,” he said reiterating the need for the government to consider pushing for formation of the Act for the welfare of the nation and its people.
He said the setting up of the Act would also help promote professionalism in the building industry and thus ensure environmentally and economically balanced human settlements.
The Act, if enforced, would help control irregularities that lead to the collapse of buildings by ensuring required materials, proper drawings and legal matters among others.
The Act will also ensure legal action against the concerned parties. In another development, Dr Mwakyusa expressed the need for members of the public to ensure they make use of registered building professional experts in construction matters such as building of houses.
“We (AQRB) call upon the public to always use recognised (registered) quantity surveyors and architects who will provide a long-term solution towards the construction process,” he said assuring the public that it was cost-effective to go for such experts (registered professional experts).
He said the country has over 1,400 registered building professionals and 300 among them were expert architects and 500 were expert quantity surveyors. He strongly warned the public against using unregistered building professionals since the law prohibits and does not recognise such people.
