AfricaPress-Tanzania: IGALULA Member of Parliament Mussa Ntimizi (CCM) says bureaucracy is hampering the implementation of irrigation projects in Goweko, Loya and Mswaki wards – the only large projects in the constituency.
According to the legislator, despite the government’s expensive feasibility studies and comprehensive designs as well as an environment impact assessment survey, the projects have taken long to take off, hampering villagers and the nation at large to reap the envisaged benefits.
“When will the government allocate funds for the essential projects to be implemented?” he asked.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Japhet Hasunga, told the national assembly here yesterday in his written response that the two irrigation schemes Loya-Mswaki and Goweko in Uyui District, Tabora Region are under the national irrigation commissions -Tabora zone.
He said the zone was working with the district council and conducted the feasibility study and designs for both the Loya-Mswaki and Goweko schemes with the intention of fully developing the projects.
The minister said the two schemes were slotted into the comprehensive irrigation master plan and are under the category of high-demand projects to be developed.
“Under the plan, Loya-Mswaki scheme will be implemented during the first phase of the comprehensive masterplan for irrigation projects… this phase ( 2018—2025) targets 261 schemes that are at various levels of implementation,” he said.
Mr Hasunga vowed that the government, through the ministry, would continue to undertake necessary adjustments in the regulations, rules and procedures to ensure that the irrigation schemes are fully implemented and run commercially.
The ministry says it will engage the ministry of finance, financial institutions and private sectors along the entire value chain, beginning with the construction works through Build Operate and Transfer—BOT practices.
“This will involve irrigation schemes like Loya, Mswaki and Goweko in Tabora region,” he said.
He assured the legislator that the ministry, through the national irrigation commission, would continue to work with the Uyui District Council to ensure the irrigations schemes thrive.
