Africa-Press – Tanzania. OVER 14bn/- has been set aside for road construction and rehabilitation in Mwanza region for the 2020/21 financial year, Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) Regional Manager, Engineer Vedastus Maribe revealed on Monday.
The Tanroads regional boss, who was presenting an annual work plan before the Regional Road Board, affirmed that 32 contracts have been signed and that 10.713bn/- has already been spent in the first phase.
“The 32 contracts were for phase one, which kicked off in November last year under the 2019/2020 fiscal year. We are going to sign again 29 contracts for the second phase, which is set to take-off soon. All contracts should end up by June, 2021. All works are on good progress,” said Engineer Maribe.
According to him, some of the roads were constructed to the tarmac level and others still murram, saying: “We have already started designing activities for other roads in the region.”
The Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) Regional Coordinator, Engineer Gaston Paschael said the agency is set to spend 11.2bn/- in the same period (2020/21) for the implementation of the 8628.039 kilometres road projects.
Supporting the move, the Board meeting participants, including Ward Councillors and Member of Parliaments urged the government to make additional funds for TARURA to enable them extend the coverage.
Sengerema District’s Council Chairman, Mr Yanga Makaga commented that his District was among the authorities that receive minimal amount of money for road infrastructures.
“For instance, only 700m/- was set aside for road project. Yet the whole amount was not disbursed. The actual released amount was only 177m/-,” he said.
Sengerema Constituency Member of Parliament, Mr Hamis Mwagawa, urged the relevant government organs, including the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau to investigate why TARURA projects are not timely implemented.
The Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr John Mongella commented that not only road infrastructures experience tremendous changes in various areas, but Mwanza residents should expect the best in the five years to come, since the government has been setting enough funds for different development schemes.
