Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said this yesterday when he addressed members of staff from various institutions, departments and units under his office in Dar es Salaam.
“I would like to allay any fears (about moving to Dodoma)…you should know that the journey has started. The arrangement is that we will go in phases as planned,” Majaliwa said.
He told the workers to prepare themselves psychologically for the move, calling on them to recognise that it was all part of the implementation of the ruling CCM policy.
"We must also remember the president’s statement after being elected as CCM’s new chairman on July 23 this year, and which he repeated during Heroes Day commemoration on July 25. On the same day, I also made an emphasis on the same matter,” the premier said.
He added: "The Prime Minister’s Office staff ought to recognise the security that we have. We should work hard to ensure that everything planned is implemented with efficiency and that it prospers.”
A report submitted to the PM’s office, highlighting the government’s current ability to transfer its workers from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma and accommodate them there, states a 75 per cent readiness on the part of the government at present.
According to the report prepared by a task force appointed by Majaliwa himself to look into the matter, most of the government-owned houses in Dodoma are also suitable for office use.The report also looked into the availability of key social services in the designated capital.
The Dodoma Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DUWASA) meanwhile said yesterday that with current water productivity in the municipality, it can add not more than 100,000 people to its connection lines at present.
According to DUWASA managing director David Pallangyo, several government institutions and departments are owing the water utility big debts totaling about 1.2 trillion/-, which if not paid will make it impossible for DUWASA to supply water to a suddenly-increased number of Dodoma residents.
The police tops the list of DUWASA debtors with unpaid arrears of 505 million/-, followed by the National Service (JKT –158m/-, the prisons department (134m/-) the regional hospital (121m/-) and the vice president’s office (34m/-), Pallangyo said.
His remarks came on the back of estimations by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) - the government authority coordinating the move to Dodoma - that approximately 200,000 new residents are expected as a result of the exercise.
Speaking before the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) here yesterday, Pallangyo said it would be difficult for DUWASA alone to handle over 100,000 additional people, calling for government intervention in the event that things get out of control.
“I would like your committee to intervene and seek government assistance in case the number of people coming proves to be even bigger than the stated estimates,” the DUWASA boss told the legislators.
He said the water authority also needs about 56m/- to repair water infrastructure to cope with an envisaged increased demand for water in the capital.
The current demand is about 400,000 litres of water per day while DUWASA can produce up to 470,000 litres per day at full capacity production, he explained.
But he stated that they cannot go to full capacity production due to dilapidated infrastructure and old machines to pump the water to faraway places.
The4 PAC members expressed anger at the apparent failure of government departments to pay their water bills, calling for serious measures to rectify this.
Treasury registrar Lawrence Mafuru, who also attended the committee meeting, pointed out that it is sad to see the government letting down its own corporations.
“It is the government that kills its own institutions…like now how can DUWASA operate efficiently with such huge debts from within the government itself,” Mafuru said.
Committee member Hafidh Ali (Dimani - CCM) stressed the need to issue stern warnings to all the cited departments to pay their debts as soon as possible in order to enable DUWASA to handle the challenge ahead.
In a resolution after consulting briefly in camera, the PAC members directed DUWASA to serve formal notices to the debtors to pay their debts within three months or have their water supplies disconnected forthwith.Copies of the letters of notice should be submitted to the committee and the office of the clerk of the National Assembly, they said.
The committee also directed the Treasury registrar to look into the appointment of DUWASA board members, saying the whole process seemed to lack transparency.
Post a Comment