The Parliamentary Committee on Education, Culture, and Sports anticipate that the Centre of Excellence in Leather Products Processing and Allied Industries, currently being established at Dar Es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) Mwanza Campus will, upon its completion, promote processing and value addition to hides and skins in Tanzania.
The project is funded by the World Bank to the tune of Tsh37 billion (USD 14,771,476), is being implemented in two phases, under the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP). The first phase, comprising the administration and academic blocks, as well as two hostels, is over 95% complete.
Prof. Preksedis M. Ndomba (Centre), the Principal, DIT with members of parliament during a tour of construction works at Mwanza Campus.
Speaking during a recent visit to the campus, the Committee’s Chairperson, Ms Husna Sekiboko, said that despite Tanzania’s vast livestock population, particularly in the Lake Zone, most people consume only the meat and disregard the skins, leading to unnecessary leather product imports.
“President Samia Suluhu Hassan has secured funds for the implementation of this major project. It is now time to utilize the skins,” she emphasized.
“We are satisfied with the project’s progress and expect the construction to be completed next month, as per contractual agreements. Tanzanians expect a lot from this, including job creation for graduates,” she added.
The Chairperson urged the campus to focus on effective project supervision to attract continued funding from the project’s financiers for various sectors.
Deputy Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Mr Omary Kipanga, echoed that EASTRIP will also promote value addition in the livestock sector, capitalizing on the wealth of domesticated animals.
“We expect to export only processed skins, not raw materials. The government is continuously improving education curricula to ensure an adequate supply of skilled labor for the betterment of individuals and the nation’s economic growth,” he stated.
The project contractor, Eng.Allan Magoma of Comfix and Engineering Limited, assured of timely completion. The second phase of EASTRIP includes a water treatment unit to prevent Lake Victoria contamination and a fence to protect the water banks from erosion, as some of the campus’s infrastructure is located along the lake.
“The implementation of the second phase is at 65%. All structural works will be completed next month, pending finishing. We are smoothly moving towards providing the government with the value for money it deserves. That is our culture,” Eng. Magoma stated.
By Joshua Kasase, Public Relations Officer at DIT Mwanza
