UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala has officially launched the Building Industry Management System (BIMS), an online platform that automates all Building Control Services in Uganda.
A developer may now submit applications for building and occupancy permits, commit to the services of registered professionals, schedule routine building inspections, pay building control fees, and receive immediate feedback for services requested online thanks to BIMS.
The system is fully operational in Kira Municipality and Kampala City. It has also been trialled in Entebbe, Jinja, Soroti, and Mbarara.
BIMS was developed by a team of local experts from the National Building Review Board (NBRB) and the National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U).
Minister Katumba Wamala announced the system’s introduction at the Speke Resort Hotel Munyonyo on December 2, 2022, and said it is a response to frequent building accidents that result in the loss of lives and property by enhancing supervision, monitoring, and enforcement of current building rules.
“After here I expect no more delays in the application and approvals of Building and Occupation Permits since the public now expects quick, efficient and transparent processes. The ultimate goal should be to put a stop to the endless building accidents, that give our country a negative image,” the Minister added.
Eng. Flavia Gutto Bwire, Executive Secretary of the National Construction Review Board (NBRB), advised the stakeholders in the building industry to accept the system because it is the result of a collaborative process that was started in 2020.
“It was evident after consultations that digitizing the building control processes was the only way of improving efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and predictability in the sector,” Bwire emphasised.
The National Land Information System (NLIS) under the Ministry of Lands, URA for the payment of building control fees and the verification of TIN numbers, URSB for the confirmation of company registration, NIRA for the confirmation of NIN, and the Architects Registration Board, Surveyors Registration Board, and Engineers Registration Board for the identification of registered professionals are all integrated with BIMS.
At the launch, the Minister gave 25 local authorities that had signed up for the system access to BIMS equipment, including two all-in-one desktop computers, a printer, and internet connectivity. Musa Ecweru, the state minister of works and transportation, also attended the occasion.
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