Public urged to engage construction professionals

DODOMA: THE Architects and Quantity Surveyors Registration Board (AQRB) has urged the public to hire registered construction professionals to protect lives and investments and prevent building disasters.

AQRB Acting Registrar, Daniel Matondo, told reporters here yesterday that professional expertise was essential at every stage of construction, from design and cost estimation to site supervision.

“We should not wait for a building to collapse before recognising the value of a professional. Public safety must begin at the stages of design, cost estimation and construction supervision. The board will continue conducting inspections to safeguard the public,” he said ahead of the board’s sixth annual conference, AQ’26, scheduled for October 20 to 23 in Arusha.

The meeting is expected to attract more than 1,000 professionals and stakeholders from Tanzania and abroad.

The meeting will be held under the theme, “Building Tanzania’s Vision 2050: Strengthening Regional and Global Partnerships for a Sustainable Built Environment.”

Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Planning and Investment, Prof Kitila Mkumbo, is expected to be the guest of honour.

Mr Matondo said the conference would highlight the contribution of construction professionals to safe infrastructure, investment protection and the preparation of young people for national development.

He said the country needed not only more professionals but also practitioners equipped with the skills, technology and ethical standards required to meet future construction demands.

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“The country’s priority was not simply to increase numbers but to develop professionals with the skills, technology, ethical standards and international competitiveness needed to meet future demands,” he said.

AQRB has 2,185 registered professionals, of whom 1,957 have active registration. The board also has 687 registered firms, including 545 with active registration and records 1,117 graduates in the professions it regulates.

Mr Matondo said the number of registered professionals could reach about 5,600 by 2050, assuming an annual growth rate of four per cent.

He said the board was strengthening practical training, registration and examinations, professional development, technology adoption and the capacity of local firms to improve the quality and competitiveness of the built environment.

Established in 2005, the board’s Apprenticeship and Practical Training Programme (AQIP) continues to prepare young people for professional practice.

Mr Matondo said achieving Tanzania’s Vision 2050 ambitions required investment in young professionals, local companies and safer construction practices.

“Tanzania of 2050 will not be built in 2050. It is being built today through the young people we prepare, the professionals we empower, the local firms we strengthen, the technology we use and the safe projects we deliver,” he said.

AQ’26 will also feature an exhibition of construction products, services and technologies, allowing participants to explore innovations and establish business and investment networks.

The programme will include visits to Lake Manyara National Park and other tourist attractions, as well as strategic projects, including Samia Stadium, which is being prepared for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mr Matondo called on architects, quantity surveyors, engineers, contractors, investors, students and other stakeholders to attend the conference.

He also urged employers in the public and private sectors to facilitate their staff’s participation.

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