AfricaPress-Tanzania: A FINANCIAL boost for the Tanzania Rural and Roads Agency (TARURA) is on the cards to improve its status in implementing rural and urban road projects.
A commitment towards that goal was expressed in parliament on Friday by the government after legislators, including National Assembly Speaker Job Ndugai, raised concern on the slow pace being shown by TARURA in implementing road projects in rural and urban areas.
Currently, the agency receives 30 per cent of total funds earmarked for road projects in the Road Fund Board (RFB) and the remaining 70 per cent goes to the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS).
Speaking in Parliament Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments) Selemani Jafo said the government through the board is revisiting the formula used in allocating funds, including carrying our resource mobilization to search for money to top up Tarura budget apart from the traditional source of funding.
Earlier on Deputy Minister in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) Dr Festo Dugange told the House that apart from looking for alternative sources, the government is also taking other initiatives to increase the budget for the agency.
“For example, in the year 2019/2020 the budget for TARURA was 241bn/-, but in the current year 2020/21, the allocation was increased to 275bn/-, being an increment of 34bn/-,” he said.
Dr Dugange noted that TARURA is mandated to rehabilitate a road network reaching 108,496 kms in all local government councils in the country.
He said the government is aware of the need for a budget increment for TARURA and that it is already working on it.
His statement came as a response to a question by the Mtama Member of Parliament Nape Nnauye, who urged the the government to look for alternative sources of funding instead of depending only from allocations from RFB.
“Given the fact that TARURA has a lot of activities to do despite the smaller budget it is receiving from the RFB, has the government thought of coming up with an extra source of funds to be channeled to TARURA to enhance its performance?” he queried.
Speaker Job Ndugai agreed with the concerns of MPs over the need for the government to consider increasing the ratio of development budget for TARURA.
Since Tuesday this week, the majority of lawmakers who had an opportunity to discuss priorities highlighted by President John Magufuli in his Bunge inaugural speech, among other things, called for immediate intervention to increase funds for TARURA.
MPs were of the view that shortage of sufficient budgets is the key reason for the agency’s failure to rehabilitate and construct roads in local government councils on time.
However, the matter got a new dimension during the proceedings of the debate on Thursday evening after Speaker Ndugai cemented the necessity of the immediate intervention that would see the increment in percentage of the budget to be channeled to TARURA.
The Speaker said all MPs made valid observations on the inability of the agency to construct and rehabilitate roads in rural and urban areas, adding that since the task falls on TARURA shoulders, it has no way except to work with meager funds.
He then urged the government to listen and work on the concerns, noting that successful implementation of the request would end the longterm infrastructure challenges in the constituencies.
“AS MPs you have to play your role effectively to change the policy that provides TARURA with 30 per cent, the government can increase it to at least 40 per cent. This agency is everything in our constituencies,” said Mr Ndugai. “For sure there is a problem, the legislators can join forces and advocate for increment, a move that would ensure positive changes in the upcoming budget”.
The Speaker was speaking immediately after Kawe MP Josephat Gwajima contributed to the motion, where he also complained about the small budget that TARURA is receiving against the amount that goes to TANROADS.
“For our roads to be rehabilitated on time, TARURA must be given enough money for a job. I urge the government to act immediately on this, and without sufficient budget, this agency will continue being a nightmare,” he said.
His thoughts were in line with what was said by Same East MP Anne- Kilango Malecela, Special Seats MP Juliana Shonza and Igalula MP Venant Protas.
Speaking in the House, Ms Malecela expressed her excitement with the improvement of roads networks in the cities of Dodoma and Dar es Salaam, praising President Magufuli’s determination to upgrade the country in all sectors.
“Our president walks the talk in everything, but I have a request to the government to increase the budget for TARURA from the current ratio of 30 per cent against 70 per cent that goes to TANROADS,” she said.
“TARURA has a lot to do in our councils but it has a little budget, let’s advocate for the increment.”
Kinondoni MP Abbas Tarimba, Mafinga Town MP Cosato Chumi and Singida North legislator Ramadhani Ighondo also were among the lawmakers who raised concern over the need for changes in policy that has put a little budget for TARUFA.
