Tanzania: Blacklisted Architects to Be Made Public

THE government has said that it will disclose the names of blacklisted architects and quantity surveyors within and outside the country so that they don't get jobs in Tanzania or elsewhere in the world.

Works Minister Dr John Magufuli said on Friday that individual experts and companies that have made offending mistakes in some projects in Tanzania will not be spared in other countries especially those in the East African Community (EAC).

Magufuli vowed to disclose the names of individuals and companies which have been stripped off their membership with Architecture and Quantity Surveyor Registration Board (AQSRB) to his counterparts in the EAC. The minister made the announcement yesterday in Morogoro when inaugurating the new AQSRB Board of Directors.

The board included the Chairman, Dr Ambwene Mwakyusa. Members are Dr Geraldine Kikwasi, Dr Ramadhan Mlinga, Ewald Mroso, Elius Mwakalinga, Ludigija Bulamile, William Ngowi, Albina Burra, Anael Sawe, Adrian John and Julius Mallaba. Mr Magufuli also addressed a seminar for Architects and Quantity Surveyors where he said: "If they (architects and surveyors) can't do their job properly and follow the rules and regulations, it is better they go fishing."

Magufuli ordered AQSRB to regularly publish the list of individuals and companies whose membership has been revoked and hand the list to him for disclosure. According to the AQSRB Registrar, Jehad Abdalah Jehad, a total of 59 experts and 21 companies have been blacklisted since the board started in 1998 for failure to adhere to the board's code of ethics and regulations.

In order to tackle the problem of substandard work on projects implemented by Local Government Authorities, the minister said the government will soon dispatch experts to inspects their work and take action. He said that architects, quantity surveyors, contractors and engineers will be sent to district councils and ministries in order to ascertain the quality and value for money for construction of roads, bridges and buildings.

"We will take stern measures against those who will be involved in construction of substandard structures. If we fire 10 District Executive Directors, this will send signals to others who misuse public funds," the minister said. Magufuli said, however, that this will be possible only if the experts will cooperate with the government in disclosing culprits. He said money for the audit was available.

The audit, according to Magufuli, will also identify personnel used in the projects so that he can make sure that only registered surveyors and architects get jobs in the councils' projects. The minister also advised the experts to come together and apply for jobs in the government because it's only through collaborations they can win big jobs in the country.

According to Mr Jehad, the board has inspected 7,023 projects since 1998 and will continue to do so. He said that currently there are 327 architects and 193 quantity surveyors. There are 177 architecture companies and 82 quantity surveying companies.

Jehad said that financial constraints were restraining his board from fulfilling budgetary obligations.

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Tanzania: Blacklisted Architects to Be Made Public