Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government has reiterated its commitment to address water blues in the country by completing a total of 1,641 major projects in the coming 2021/22 fiscal year.
Minister for Water, Mr Jumaa Aweso told the Parliament yesterday that the government is on track to address water woes in both rural and urban areas, assuring proper execution of all ongoing projects.
Mr Aweso requested the parliament to approve a 680.3bn/- budget for his ministry, saying the monies would enable the implementation of 1,527 water projects in rural areas and 114 in urban areas.
“The ministry is requesting 680.3bn/- so that it could bring changes in the water sector. The approval of the budget will enable us to implement major projects in all identified areas in the coming fiscal year,” he said.
According to Mr Aweso the 114 urban projects involve expansion of water systems, renovation of infrastructure and construction of new projects.
He said all projects are in line with pledges that are identified in the 2020-2025 Election manifesto. Mr Aweso said the projects cover various parts of the country and that his ministry is set to apply close monitoring of its implementation.
“We are well prepared to ensure these projects are implemented and completed on time, water experts from Water Development and Management Institute will be consulted and engaged in dam construction and wells drilling,” said Mr Aweso.
The minister said the government plans to drill 516 water wells and ensure supply of clean and safe water from lakes, rivers in the areas of Rufiji, Ruvuma and Kiwira.
Moreover, the minister said the government will put emphasis on improving sewerage systems from the current 13 per cent to 30 per cent as targeted by 2025.
On water supply, the minister said the government has recorded good performance in the past one year saying access to water in rural areas has increased from 70.2 per cent of 2019/20 to 72.3 per cent from July 2020 to March, this year.
He said for urban areas, a number of projects implemented in the period between July 2020 and March have increased the access of water to 86 per cent from 84 per cent during the 2019/20 financial year.
The minister said in the ending year, the government through the Ministry of Water managed to implement a total of 422 of projects of which 355 were in rural areas and 67 in the urban areas.
Furthermore, Mr Aweso told the parliament that the government is reviewing the 2002 National Water Sector Policy so that it could meet the current needs and demand.
“We are also finalizing the amendment of the Water Resources Management Act so that it could accommodate the ongoing changes in the water sector,” said the minister.
Commenting on the delay of some projects, the minister said his office has been facing a number of challenges insisting that unfaithful contractors who do not honour terms of contracts have been a major setback to the implementation of major projects.
Mr Aweso named the projects which were affected by unscrupulous contractors as Same-Mwanga-Korogwe, water sewerage and environmental projects in Musoma, Kigoma and Lindi and third phase of Chalinze Water Project.
