Mbale City clerk Ambrose Ocen has encouraged developers in Mbale to utilize the Building Industry Management System (BIMS) as the fastest and efficient way of accessing all the building control services.
BIMS is a digitized platform through which a developer can apply for building and occupation permits, commit the services of registered professionals, schedule for routine building inspection, pay building control fees and get instant feedback for the services requested for online.
“You work out your plan with a registered architect, enter a contract with the supervising engineer and submit online. The chairperson and all members of the building committee are all here to approve. Where there are issues the system even has provisions where you can appeal if the committee delays to approve your plans”. Ocen noted.
The City Clerk made the remarks while opening the Mbale City Building Control Baraza organized by the National Building Review Board (NBRB) to provide a platform to mbale residents to interact with professionals and regulators of the built environment.
The baraza held at the Mayoral gardens was attended by the City Resident Commissioner (RCC), City councilors, building committee members, religious leaders, developers and members of the public.
On the payment of the building control fees, Mr. Ocen advised developers to avoid town agents and only pay fees online and encouraged the councilors to monitor how these fees are utilized.
“There are people who sometimes want to be in between you and the city, these are conmen, avoid them. Let’s be vigilant, insist on only paying the money through the system and the receipt must be issued”. Ocen advised.
The Chairperson of the Building Committee Abdul Aziizi Sharah noted the improvement in revenue collection since the establishment of the committee.
“We have so far collected 116 million even before the end of the financial year and we hope to collect more next year. This has been due to our insistence on approved building plans and building permits for all building developments in the city”. Aziizi revealed.
In his remarks, the City Resident Commissioner Rex Aachilla urged the residents of Mbale to embrace the changes that have come with city status especially in the annexed sub counties.
Issues related to land use, quality of building materials, building fees, permits, plans, causes of building accidents and delays in approval of plans, corruption and masqueraders among the professionals were raised by members of the public.
The baraza was facilitated by members of the Mbale Physical Planning Committee, NBRB Staff including, Manager Compliance, Eng. Timothy Mubbala, Manager Investigations, Eng. Anthony Rucukye, Manager Communications Herbert Zziwa, Senior Standards Officer Hudson Mutalya among others.