EENHANA – The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) last week handed over the concept design and construction site for a new regional office complex in the Ohangwena Region to Ben Kathindi Architects (BKA) and Onambula Investments Company.
The principal agent, Ben Kathindi, popularly known as ‘Big Ben’ in the construction industry in the region told New Era the MICT office complex will be built over a period of 10-months at a cost of N$11.6 million. The contract was signed on December 17, 2013. The complex will be build on a 8 700 square-metre plot and will comprise of an Internet café, a library, office blocks, garage and personal parking, as well as a braai area. The office complex will be located on Hifikepunye Pohamba Street in Eenhana, the main centre of the region. The popular northern businessman said funding for the construction came from the government’s TIPEEG programme and will involve a professional team, which comprises Blokker, Jacobs and Kuschke Quantity Surveyors, Engelbrecht Consulting Engineers, who will provide civil and structural engineering services and Asher Consulting Engineers cc, who will be responsible for mechanical and electrical engineering services at the complex.
“We would like to assure our employer, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) that our professional team will deliver as per our schedule and communication from myself as the principal agent. Apart from that we want to let you know that all team members have ensured all safety precautions for its workers on the site. So all is now well and in place for them to kick off with business next week,” said Kathindi.
He also advised the construction team to engage trainees from various Namibian learning institutions in civil, structural and mechanical engineering, including the university and the polytechnic, as well as the vocational training centres across the country that resort under the Namibia Training Authority (NTA). “These TIPEEG programmes should also see that we have empowered our Namibian youths so that they can be equipped with relevant technical skills for their future. I would like to see those young Namibians as part of your team working here, but please don’t assign them to advanced workstations on the site. As contractors, be reminded that we also should make sure that we pay our workers and labourers in time unlike what we are seeing from the Chinese here in the north, who abuse our own Namibian workers,” he said. Also speaking during the site handover event, was the Deputy Director in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Deon Scot who thanked the contractors, saying the idea to construct the MICT regional office in the region was planted some years ago and this was in line with the ministry’s policy to have state-of-the-art office complexes across all regions which will also motivate staff and lead them to better performance.
The first phase of the construction saw the site being installed with a boundary and security fence, drainage and gutter house by Sheetekela Construction cc. The project managers have promised the MICT to complete the second phase on November 17 later this year. Currently the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology is housed at the Green Complex where most of the regional council offices are found.