UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, has urged local builders across the country to stop stealing building materials if they want to earn the trust of their clients.
The Vice-Chancellor highlighted that the common practice of stealing their client’s building materials is causing them to lose business, and implored builders to act with integrity and honesty.
“Some of you go an extra mile of doubling the required materials for example if 1000 bags of cement are needed, you ask for 2000 and later when the client realises the truth, they stop dealing with you and that’s how you are losing it,” he said.
Prof Nawangwe made the remarks in a speech read by his Deputy Professor, Henry Alinatwe, during the official opening of the two-day workshop for local builders at Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design Art and Technology (CEDAT) in April.
He also cautioned builders to stop using substandard materials that result in weak buildings which collapse before construction is complete, and emphasised the importance of testing the strength of their materials.
“Whether it is sand, cement, or steel, there are standards, and all standards can be tested in the labs. If you are building and you are in doubt about the standard, go to labs and test. Even when you are constructing at intervals, test materials you are using regularly to see their strength,” he said.
The workshop, which was the second edition of the Site Fixers (Fundis) Sensitisation and Training Workshop, aimed to share accumulated knowledge between experts and site fixers (Fundis) and enhance the latter’s skills in modern building design and construction technology.
Ms Venny Nakazibwe, the Deputy Principal of CEDAT, explained that the workshop also aimed to assess the levels of skill, knowledge, and innovation in building construction among local site fixers (Fundis).
The local builders, who include masons, plumbers, painters, and metal fabricators, were encouraged to attend workshops such as this to learn about new construction techniques and materials.
“We want to see how we can help them to get new knowledge to be able to perform better and also for us to be able to connect and understand the community better,” she said.
The Vice Chancellor’s cautionary remarks were intended to encourage local builders to adhere to high standards and to ensure that their work meets the expectations of their clients.
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