STATE Minister in the President’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Government, Mr Selemani Jafo, has raised a red flag against council directors and accountants whose councils underperformed in revenues collection in the first half of 2019/2020 Financial Year.
Mr Jafo told a press conference here yesterday that the council leaders whose councils underachieved in revenues collection should conduct self-evaluation if they still fit in their positions before the end of the Fiscal Year in June.
“The names of all council directors and accountants whose councils will fail to meet targets of revenues collection up to end of 2019/2020 Financial Year on June 30, will be submitted to the appointing authority,” said Mr Jafo while briefing reporters on revenues collection for first half of financial year beginning July to December 2019/2020.
The minister said all councils set targets to collect 765.48bn/- from internal sources in the first half of the financial year beginning July-December, but managed to collect 356.81bn/- equivalent to 47 per cent of estimated annual revenues collection.
“The figures indicate an increase of revenues collection of 56.7bn/- in comparison of the same period of the preceding financial year. The increase is equivalent to 19 percent,” he observed.
Mr Jafo named the last three councils in revenues collection in the first half of the financial year as Mafia, Ukerewe and Gairo which collected only 18 percent of the estimated annual collection.
He noted that while Dodoma City Council tops the councils in gross revenues collection after collecting 29.75bn/- in the first half of the financial year, Bumbuli District Council became the last in the gross revenues collection after fetching 186.10m/-.
At regional level, Mr Jafo, said Geita Region topped the revenue collection chart after its councils collected 63 per cent of the estimated annual collection in the opening half of the financial year.
“Tanga region became the last region in revenues collection at regional level after collecting only 36 per cent of estimated annual collection target,” he said. Mr Jafo informed further that at regional level, Dar es Salaam tops the list of regions in gross revenues collection after collecting 83.86bn/- and that Katavi became the last in the category after collecting only 4.68bn/-.
“The figures show that gross revenues collection for Dar es Salaam region increased by 6.45bn/- in comparison of the same period in previous fiscal year,” he said.
Mr Jafo said Ilemela Municipal Council tops the list of municipal councils with a 75 per cent revenues collection, while Kigoma municipal sat bottom after collecting only 26 per cent of its target.
He pointed out Njombe Township Council tops the list of Township Councils after collecting 88 per cent of its target and that Babati became the last after collecting only 30 per cent of its target in that category.
