Water Ministry Officials: Deliver Results or Face Removal

TANGA: MINISTER for Water, Jumaa Aweso, has issued a stern warning to officials within the ministry, saying the government will not tolerate employees who report to work without delivering results or those who misuse funds allocated for water projects. Aweso made the remarks over the weekend during the handover of equipment, including water pipes, intended to complete the Mkinga–Horohoro Water Supply Project valued at 35bn/-. The project’s foundation stone was laid by President Samia Suluhu Hassan during her visit to Tanga Region last year. “We do not want officials who merely show up at work. We want results. We do not want an official who goes through an entire year without commissioning even a single borehole,” he said. He warned that poor performance by officials could create public resentment towards the government. “The comfort of the minister and the government is seeing people access water. When water is not available, it creates frustration,” he said, stressing that the ministry will conduct a thorough performance assessment. “If we find negligence, we will remove you. Everyone must protect their position,” he emphasised. ALSO READ: Govt lauds LSF for strengthening legal aid services The minister also directed officials to ensure the completion of stalled water projects. He noted that more than 1,000 urban and rural water projects nationwide remain incomplete, including the Mhinduro and Mapatano projects in Mkinga District. “I have instructed the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary to release funds to complete these projects,” Aweso said. Speaking on the Mkinga– Horohoro project, Aweso said he expects it to be completed without further delays, noting that the contractor has no justification for failing to complete a project that is already two years behind schedule. Under this approach, residents of Mtimbwani Village in Mkinga District are expected to start receiving water this January. The minister further urged Tanzanian contractors to take advantage of water infrastructure projects to demonstrate competence and professionalism, saying the move would help build trust and dispel the notion that local contractors are incapable of executing large-scale projects. Earlier, Tanga Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Tanga UWASA) Executive Director, Engineer Geoffrey Hilly, said the project is expected to be completed by July 5 this year. Once completed, water access in Mkinga District is projected to increase from 60 per cent to 80 per cent. Engineer Hilly said the equipment handed over includes pipes worth 7.7bn/-, which will be laid across 23 kilometres in the remaining sections of the project. The project, which began in 2022, is expected to benefit about 57,000 residents in 37 villages across nine wards.