AfricaPress-Tanzania: VICE-President Samia Suhulu Hassan has called upon Dar es Salaam residents to protect water infrastructure to enable the government realise its goal of supplying the precious liquid by 100 per cent come 2025.
She said that the government has been spending a lot of money to move the service closer to the people, thus it was their responsibility to ensure that the infrastructure is protected so that they can continue to access water.
Ms Samia made the call in Dar es Salaam on Saturday during the inauguration of the Pugu-Gongo la Mboto Water Project, which will benefit residents of several places in the city and its environs.
“The government has invested a lot of money to supply water to the citizens, thus destruction of infrastructure will deny other people the right to have access to the service. The amount of money spent by the government in water projects is huge compared to water charges; this was done purposely to make sure that all citizens have access to this service,” Ms Samia said.
She called upon local government leaders, political parties and other stakeholders to cooperate with the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) in protecting the infrastructure.
The Vice-President further called upon Dar residents to make sure that they pay water bills to allow the authority to carry out other projects of supplying water to more people.
She, however, cautioned DAWASA from imposing high water charges to its customers.
She said that it is high time for local authorities and water committees to do their job by ensuring that water infrastructure is protected and people pay their water bills.
She said that the government was executing various water projects as fulfillment of its pledges of increasing water availability in the country.
In the past five years the government implemented a number of water projects which have successfully increased access of water by 77 percent countrywide.
The Vice-President said that the 2020/2025 Chama Cha Mapinduzi Election Manifesto directs the government to increase water availability by 85 per cent in rural areas and more that 95 per cent in urban come 2025.
Ms Samia noted that recently President John Magufuli inaugurated a 617bn/- water project that involves piping water from Lake Victoria that will benefit 1.2 million residents of Tabora, Nzega and Igunga districts.
“We are doing all these to make sure that we fulfill our pledges of supplying water to our citizens. During the election campaigns last year we promised to continue execute water projects and complete undergoing ones to meet the 2025 target,” she said.
She, however, commended DAWASA for a well-done job of connecting the majority of Dar es Salaam residents with the service.
DAWASA has done a good job that is why it has been tasked to oversee water services in Coast Region, Same and Mwanga District in Kilimanjaro Region.
She said the project has so far cost 6.9bn/-, noting that government is currently focused on reducing cost of implementing various water projects.
“I believe that this project will not cost more than 10bn/- upon completion,” she said.
During his election campaigns last year, President John Magufuli pledged that if re-elected his government will continue to execute various water projects to cover more than 85 per cent of rural dwellers and more than 95 per cent in urban come 2025.
In his 100 days of administration since he was sworn-in for the second term, President Magufuli has instituted a number of measures to ensure that the target is realised.
The president has ordered completion of all delayed water projects in the country and firing of water contractors who delay the implementation of the projects.
