Developer decries shortage of skilled constructors

A Kigali-based businessman has decried the shortage of qualified local construction technicians, saying this hampers the country’s construction sector with most of the developers often left counting their losses after being obliged to hire the more expensive foreign ones.Jean Paul Habeli, a city developer, made the remarks, yesterday, during the launch of his Rwf2.6 billion eight storied commercial office block known as Umoja House in Kigali. The new structure is located next to the RAMA building in the Kiyovu suburb of Muhima Sector. The building will serve as the headquarters of Rwanda Biometric Centre.“Shortage of local technicians is really an obstacle and an issue that forces us to go for foreign technicians who are very expensive which ultimately discourages developers,” Habeli lamented.He attributed his investment to good governance saying he will soon put up another commercial building in the city.“I hope to put up another building of this kind and it will be complete in two years.” According to city officials, the structure is the first individually-owned building built in line with Kigali City master plan.Speaking at the event, the City of Kigali Mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba, called on other city developers to emulate Habeli in embracing the city master plan by encouraging them to fully draw on bank loans to boost the real estate sector.“There are many institutions ready to rent your buildings. So use all available opportunities introduced in the city and the banking sector to establish developments like Umoja House,” Ndayisaba urged.The City of Kigali officials cited lack of funding as a key hurdle towards concluding several development projects in line with the master plan.“Now that the issue of construction permits was eased and applications are done online, we expect developers to fully embrace these new developments to ease doing business in the country,” Ndayisaba asserted.Minister of Local Government, James Musoni, who was the guest of honour at the event, dismissed claims that the master plan is beyond the reach of local investors.Musoni further allayed fears of scarcity of skilled technicians saying that the rolling out of the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system would ease the situation.“With these TVET schools that we have introduced in every district, we expect good outcome from them in two years.” The construction and public works sector has experienced a boom in recent years, growing from 5.2 in 2006 to the current 15.2 percent.

National

Developer decries shortage of skilled constructors