The Parliamentary Committee on Social Services and Development yesterday March 15, 2022 paid a visit to the Headquarters of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC) to inspect the progress of the Construction of the Laboratory Project Phase II.
During the visit, the Parliamentary Committee commended TAEC for the significant milestone in the implementation of the project being built by the Government for a total of TShs. 10.4 Billion.
Presenting the project report to the Parliamentary Committee, TAEC Director General Professor Lazaro Busagala said TAEC had previously entered into an agreement with the Tanzania Construction Agency (TBA) for the construction of the Phase I on 29th May 2017 which is part of the TAEC Laboratory Complex.
The official construction of Phase I Laboratory Complex started on 1st June 2017 and completed at a cost of 2.3 Billion Tanzanian Shillings and officially launched by Hon. Kassim M. Majaliwa (MP) Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania on April 29, 2018.
The construction of the Phase I Laboratory Complex involved the following: Laboratory for testing various occurring elemental composition (XRF Laboratory); Personal Monitoring Dosimetry Laboratory; Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory; Whole body counter laboratory and Nuclear Security Support Center.
In his presentation Professor Busagala said the construction of the Phase II Laboratory Complex, TAEC entered into an agreement with LI JUN DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD on 10th September 2019, where the contract for the construction of the laboratory was for three (3) years.
The official construction of the Phase II Laboratory Complex commenced on 23rd September 2019, where the foundation stone of the construction was officially laid down by Hon. Prof Joyce L. Ndalichako (MP) the then Minister for Education, Science and Technology on 29th March 2020 and the total cost of the project is worth 10.4 Billion Tanzanian Shillings.
At its completion, the Phase II Laboratory Complex will be able to accommodate the following laboratories: Alpha Spectrometry Laboratory; Beta Counting Laboratory; Gamma Spectrometry Laboratory; Cytogenetic Laboratory; X-Ray Fluorescence Laboratory; Nuclear Instrumentation and Maintenance Laboratory; Radiochemistry Laboratory; and Radioactive Wastes Conditioning Laboratory.
Professor Busagala said that, as of 9th March 2022, the construction stage of Phase II Laboratory Complex (Project number 6352) had reached 94% percent where it is three months ahead of the work program.
Concluding his remarks, Professor Busagala thanked the Parliamentary Committee and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for the continued overseeing and support TAEC in the implementation of the development projects while urging the Government to keep on supporting TAEC for the benefit of all Tanzanian community.