A relocation request for the administration center in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang aimed at alleviating unpleasant working conditions has become a topic of debate amongst local officials.

During a meeting convened by the municipal People’s Council, leaders of the local administration brought up a proposal to relocate public offices from their current venue, which is a multimillion dollar center, stating that a lack of oxygen had been affecting the health of workers in the center.

Dang Viet Dung, vice-chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, stated that the administrative building had been useful in expediting performance, boosting the provincial competitiveness index (PCI), and enhancing the management and leadership of local authorities.

However, the vice-chairman admitted that several issues, namely poor air quality and high temperatures in the building, had taken a toll on employees.

Pumping fresh air into the facility was recommended by Dung as a possible solution.

The city’s leaders have also considered constructing a new building to replace the current administrative center, the official stated, adding that relevant agencies have been assigned to research the idea.

“The new construction could provide more favorable working conditions and become a new symbol for the central hub,” Vice-Chairman Dung remarked.

However, Tran Van Truong, a member of the Da Nang People’s Council, did not agree with the request, doubting a new building’s ability to control utility costs.

“The idea has not been discussed and reviewed by the people,” Truong added.

According to Nguyen Xuan Anh, chairman of the People’s Council, the request’s significance requires that it recieve feedback from local citizens.

A head official of the municipal People’s Committee affirmed that the working condition inside the current building was employees’ primary concern.

Though wellness is of primary concern, no comprehensive health checks have been performed on staffers at the administrative center, Ngo Thi Kim Tien, director of the Department of Health, said, adding that the health index in the building should be calculated by the Department of Science and Technology.

According to another member of the People’s Council, the relocation has its pros and cons.

Against the backdrop of current economic challenges, constructing a new building would be difficult to finance, the official elaborated.

“The public is also inclined to keep the old center,” he stated. “We should not be hasty. We need to avoid making mistakes.”       

Standing at 166.8 meters, the administrative building includes 34 floors and a two-story basement.

The structure was designed by South Korea’s Moonyoung Architects & Engineering and cost nearly VND2 trillion ($89.6 million).

Inaugurated in September 2014, the facility has been a regular workplace for about 1,200 officials and public servants.

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