while the overall project stands at 85 per cent to completion.
On June 14 this year, during her inspection visit to the project, she pledged to return to Mwanza August 29 this year for the inauguration of the ship, but with the due date nearing, recently the contractor is claimed to have asked for more time, even though the government has rejected the request.
Registering his dismay on the sluggish implementation of the project on Tuesday, Mwanza Regional Commissioner Amos Makalla said that there are some experts who are on vacation even though they know that the time for the completion of the ship building project is just round the corner.
RC Makalla gave three days to the contractor to make sure all experts are at the project site and should work day and night to complete the project.
“This is not acceptable at all, the government has already paid 88 per cent of the project’s cost, but the work is still at 85 per cent complete and worse still they have come to ask for time extension, but the government will not entertain the time extension as they had ample time already.
He also called on the management to make sure the work is done day and night as well as to ensure there are an adequate number of experts at the project site.
RC Makalla said President Samia believes the work is progressing well and by August 29 she will come to Mwanza for the ship’s launch and start trial runs.
The ship’s building was launched September 3, 2018 by the late President John Magufuli under Korean firms — Gas Entec Company Limited and Kangham Corporation, and the work was supposed to be completed in September 2022.
When completed, MV Mwanza will be the biggest inland water ship in the East African region.
It is a four-storey vessel, 92.6 metres long and 17 metres wide with net weight of 3,500 tonnes.
Upon completion, the ship will cost 111bn/-, will carry 1, 200 passengers, 20 vehicles and 400 tonnes of cargo.
