BAHI District residents have called upon contractors tendered water projects to closely supervise them so that they get clean and safe water as soon as they are hired.
That was said by a Nguji villager, Tito Mkoba in Mundemu Ward as his colleagues unanimously backed him up at a recent capacity building programme here for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on how to make follow-ups on how money for various water projects was being spent.
The water project in the district is being implemented by NGO Network for Dodoma Region (NGONEDO) after receiving funding from Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) in four villages of Mchito, Mkakatika, Nguji and Bahi Sokoni
Expounding, Mkoba said there was a need to have a close supervision of the ongoing water projects, and as well monitor how engineers spend the money.
He said available information indicated that Nguji village water project was implemented at 718m/-, which involved the construction of two water tanks, water pumps and an entire network to distribute water in 11 centres, but the contractor spent only 637.4m/-, meaning the remaining 80.7m/-was not utilized as agreed in the contract.
“This money would have been channeled to other projects,’’ suggested the villager.
On his part, another resident from Mkakatika village, Emmanuel Dionis in Mpamantwa Ward: “We did our own survey and established that many residents have been complaining that they have not been getting water and in reality out of 10 centres, five have no water at all.”
However, Bahi District Acting Manager for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Engineer Juma Hafidhi noted that all the projects that were being implemented with funds from the World Bank and all received money on time, adding that after their completion, any remaining funds were taken back to support other projects.
NGONEDO Coordinator, Edward Mbogo said the major objective of the capacity building programme was aimed at ensuring that the residents have enough knowledge to monitor the implementation of water projects.
