ILO trains road construction engineers on low volume sealed roads technology

A total of twenty (20) Road Construction Engineers participated in a three weeks training on Low Volume Sealed Roads (LVSR) Technology in Chamwino, Dodoma from 17th August to 5th September 2020. The training, which was conducted through the ILO’s Employment Intensive Investment (EIIP) programme, drew participants from the Appropriate Technology Training Institute (ATTI), Mbeya, Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Authority (TARURA), Ministry of Works Transportation and Communication, Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF), Zanzibar Min of Infrastructure, Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, PO-RALG-Infrastructure Development, LBT Contractors and PMO-LYED.

The training was undertaken in two phases; Phase I covering mainly classroom review on the fundamentals of LVSRs and the second one on practical/field demonstration of LVSRs through using Emulsion Treated Base (ETB). This was done along a 100m long stretch at Chamwino area in Dodoma region.

According to the EIIP National Programme Coordinator Mr. Dampu Ndenzako the training will not only contribute to promoting full and productive employment and decent work but also in addressing the rising unemployment among young men and women in the country. “…This will contribute to learning new feasible technological options for roads construction and rehabilitation while impacting skills for enterprises development and future employment potential…” he said.

In recent times, accessibility especially in rural areas have been a challenge. However, Tanzania, through its Ministry of Works and other relevant organs, has invested a lot in infrastructure development, including roads planning, design, development, rehabilitation and maintenance to ensure improved accessibility. These initiatives are essential to promoting more efficient utilization of our nation’s resources for improved economic growth.

Commenting on the above exercise at the practical site, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works Transportation and communication, Architect Elius Mwakalinga, commended the ILO and the Irish Government for their financial and technical support in this noble initiative.  “…Technologies like these, attract the use of employment-intensive approaches (Labor Based Technology) which create employment and income to community members, specifically for the vulnerable ones, hence improve their livelihoods and access to social protection…” he said.

The ILO’s Employment Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) is one of the vehicles to promote full and productive employment & decent work. It was introduced in Tanzania in 2016 to address rising un/under-employment, declining wage rates coupled with growing that resulted in market distortions.

The programme has consistently promoted employment-intensive approaches for infrastructure creation and maintenance because 1) its social benefits (employment generation, social protection, wages distributed) and 2) this approach is technically and financially competitive in the economic situation of most developing countries today.