Editor’s Note
This article reports on Minister Anthony Mavunde’s directive to accelerate construction of the Tanzania Gemological Center, emphasizing the push for increased workforce and 24-hour operations to meet a swift deadline.
ARUSHA: The Minister of Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, has instructed the contractor for the construction of the Tanzania Gemological Center (TGC) to expedite the completion of the training center for adding value to gemstones. He called for an increase in the workforce and round-the-clock work to finish the building in a short timeframe.
Minister Mavunde issued these instructions today in the Arusha region during his visit to inspect the project, which has officially commenced construction. He emphasized the need for quality construction that meets the criteria specified in the contract.
Minister Mavunde explained that the Sixth Phase Government, led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, is implementing its strategies across the entire gemstone value addition chain, as directed by the 2009 Mineral Policy.
In line with this, Minister Mavunde stressed that the start of this construction is part of implementing the instructions given by President Samia Suluhu Hassan during her address to the 13th Parliament in Dodoma.
Among other directives, Minister Mavunde gave the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Minerals seven days to meet with contractors, TGC, and government institutions to obtain the necessary permits to continue construction.
For his part, Arusha District Commissioner Joseph Mkude promised to continue monitoring the construction progress to ensure it is completed as the government desires. Mkude added that the completion of the facility will be part of the government’s major investment in the mining sector in the Arusha region.
Earlier, while giving a progress report on the construction, the Head of TGC Engineering, Ally Maganga, explained that the construction of the 8-storey twin buildings will cost 33 billion Tanzanian shillings. Its completion will increase opportunities for many young people to find employment through gemstone value addition skills.
