By Polycarp Machira, DODOMA
TanzaniaDeputy Minister for Water, Jumaa Aweso
AT least 98 water
engineers in Tanzania have been sacked for shoddy work by the government, the Deputy Minister
for Water, Jumaa Aweso disclosed.
He said most of them are those who either delayed
or neglected village projects due to flimsy reasons including superstition.
“It is strange to hear an engineer saying that
there are evil forces that destroy ongoing water projects in some villages in
the country” he said.
The deputy minister noted that the government is
committed to ensure all villages in the country get access to clean and safe
water.
He said the government has disbursed 119 Billion
shillings for some 300 village water projects.
“The government has employed water experts in the
ministry and other authorities; let them use their knowledge to help solve
water woes in the country.” He said.
Earlier this year, the Deputy Minister ordered
managers of the rural water authorities to work on challenges facing efficient
supply of the precious liquid in rural communities, maintaining the decision is
the government’s topmost priority.
Officiating a review meeting for the United Kingdom
funded forth—phase payment held here, the Deputy Minister said although there has
been some positive headways in implementing a number of water projects some
councils had not been performing well.
“There is a need to undertake a special review to
understand factors pushing councils to underperform,” he said.
“The board of directors must be ready to take
actions should there be the problems as a result of reckless managers.”
The government established the Rural Water Supply
and Sanitation Authority (RUWASA) strategically targeting to improve supervision
of water projects as well as increase access and supply of water in rural
communities. But the deputy minister noted that 153 water projects worth over
66bn/- had been struggling threatening to dent the image of the ministry.
Besides, Aweso said residents in rural communities
are tasked to pay as high as 5,000/- per water unit while urban areas such as
Dar es Salaam the price per unit is only 1,800/-.
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