Former Min. Mahlab, Others Behind Arab Contractor’s Success

By Salma Yassin

CAIRO, March 9 (SEE)- Ibrahim Mahlab, the former prime minister and minister of housing played a great role in the success of Arab Contractors company.

[caption id="attachment_40001" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Ibrahim Mahlab, the former prime minister and minister of housing[/caption]

This piece of information appeared in an article by Dr. Shwadfi Mansour, adviser of minister of higher education; it was published recently in 'Akhbar El Yom' newspaper under the title of “Stars Brightened in Arab Contractors company’s sky”.

Mansour praised role played by Arab Contractors company’s popular engineers who had major achievements over decades.

The company was officially established in 1955 and its first name was “Othman Ahmed Othman and his partners. Later in 1961, the company was nationalized and Othman Ahmed Othman and his partners remained managing it.

Mansour said that Mahlab, the right-hand man to the company, managed to restore damaged mosques, churches and police stations besides all other major building projects.

"Furthermore, other company’s employees had a great role in constructing units responsible for protecting aircrafts and SM-1 and 2 missiles’ bases during 6th of October war in 1973," Mansour clarified.

He stressed that Othman was a genius engineer who participated in the high dam’s construction and 6th of October’s victory.

Another company’s star is Ibrahim Othman, brother of Eng. Othman who was appointed as the company’s manager after his brother became minister of housing.

In the same context, Eng. Hasaballah Mohamed El Kafrawy, the young teacher Ismael Othman and Eng. Mahmoud Othman endured the most difficult periods over the company’s history and managed to preserve its entity.

[caption id="attachment_40002" align="aligncenter" width="426"] Eng. Hasaballah Mohamed El Kafrawy, Former minister of housing[/caption]

“El Kafrawy as a former minister of housing managed to construct modern cities extending from the north coast till upper Egypt,” he added.

These cities include Marakia, Marina, Burj Al Arab, Sadat, 6th of October, Al-Aabour and the tenth of Ramadan beside martyr Ahmad Hamdi’s tunnel and the subway.

[caption id="attachment_40005" align="aligncenter" width="436"] Part of 6th of October City[/caption]

Lastly, Mansour said 90% of construction companies working in Egypt and other Arab and African countries fall within the school of Arab Contractors company.