Audit exposes appalling execution of water projects

WATER supply projects executed between 2006/07 and 2015/16 fiscal years were achieved by below 50 per cent despite the 93.7 per cent disbursement of allocated funds.

Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST-Tanzania) Chairman Engineer Kazungu Magili said in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, “The audit report shows that Rural Water Supply and Sanitation was implemented by less than 50 per cent against the 93.7 per cent of funds received.” He was speaking at the release of findings from the 2018 Assurance Process on two major projects and one water programme in the country.

Eng Magili identified the projects as the TAZARA Intersection, NSSF Dungu Housing Project and the Water Sector Report 2016. Releasing the findings on assessment of the Water Sector Status Report for October 2016,which was prepared by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, he said some of the projects were poorly executed and others showed positive achievement.

The Urban Water Supply and Sanitation project which focused mainly on collection of water bills, the goal was to raise over 49bn/- but only 17bn/-, which is less than 30 per cent, was collected over the 10 years. He pointed out that in the area of water resource management, the goal was surpassed as a big number of wells were constructed in different areas including schools, among others.

He cited other challenges, including the fact that the report came too late, 10 years, to enable authorities to take meaningful interventions on the covered activities but provides inputs for future programmes.

“Release of quarterly reports would have placed early warning systems to raise issues at the appropriate time…issues as those highlighted on poor performance of contractors and consultants, unsatisfactory contract management and shortage of skilled staff by implementing agencies would have been addressed early,” he pointed out. As for NSSF Dungu Project, Engineer Magili observed that the aim of building 439 housing units was to generate more revenues, improve social life, promote local contractors, address the housing challenge as well as create employment opportunities for Tanzanians.

“The project begun on January 31, 2014 and its completion was planned for July 31, 2016 but it was extended to December 31, 2017. There are 13 contractors, with 10 of them local and three foreign and the estimated completion cost was 87,023,584,983/-,” he observed. Engineer Magili also observed that the implementer was reluctant to give details on the value of work undertaken by local contractors, number of units completed, number of units occupied so far and number of Tanzanians employed in the project. He made it clear that the aim of the initiative is to promote transparency by disclosing data from public infrastructure for the country to excel.

Hiding information will not help the government to achieve its goals, he said. The chairman commended initiatives by Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) to properly supervise TAZARA Intersection project whose execution by last December stood at over 74 per cent. He pointed out that the support that TANROADS had accorded them while gathering data should set an example for others.

“Our work was to disclose what we gathered and we have done it…we leave the rest of the tasks to our implementing partners to take further action,” said Engineer Magili. CoST works with government, civil society organisations and the private sector to strengthen transparency and accountability