DODOMA: MINISTER for Water, Jumaa Aweso said yesterday that the government has dished out 80bn/- that will be spent in clearing outstanding debts that contractors owe the government in water projects, in efforts to ensure that every Tanzanian has access to clean and safe water.
The revelation was made in the august House by the Minister when he was responding to a supplementary question posed by Kishapu Member of Parliament (MP) Boniphace Butondo (CCM).
Mr Butondo had asked the minister what plans were in place to ensure that the grand water project in his constituency was completed.
The Kishapu legislator said that the project was being implemented by the contractor, Emirates Company, pointing out that it was still dilly-dallying due to financial hiccups.
However, Mr Aweso was quick to point out that already Dr Samia had disbursed to the ministry a total of 80bn/- that will be spent in paying all contractors executing water projects countrywide including that of Kishapu.
During the main question, Nyang’wale lawmaker, Hussein Amar had inquired about the government’s plans to connect health centres in the clean and safe water network from Lake Victoria.
In response, Mr Aweso said that already, the government was preparing a robust and special plan to have water and sanitation services at all health centres, dispensaries as well as schools that have got no such services.
“Preparations for this plan are expected to be completed in December 2024, whereas implementation of the plan is expected to kick off immediately and it will be completed within a period of three years,’’ he noted.
According to the minister, the government was fully committed to ensuring that enough clean and safe water services were available at all places including public institutions like schools and health facilities.
“In accomplishing that target, the government has so far enabled access to clean and safe water to about 4,939 dispensaries out of 6,134, through different projects including the grand Lake Victoria project,’’ he added.
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However, Mr Aweso said that the priority in supply of clean and safe water was given to public institutions including schools, dispensaries and health centres, adding that feasibility studies of the projects as well as implementation was ongoing.
In the same turn of events in the House, Tunduru South MP, Daima Mpakate was suspicious to know when the Ndaje water project would be completed.
The project targets to offer clean and water supply services to the villages of Mbesa, Airport and Lijombo, in Tunduru District in Ruvuma Region of the Southern parts of the country.
Responding, the water minister said that the government was continuing to implement the said grand water project.
“This project is being implemented in two phases, with the first phase involving the construction of water infrastructures from the source to the main tank that has the capacity to preserve 100,000 litres of water.
Also, he noted, the second phase of the project was equally ongoing adding that its implementation had reached 60percent and that it is involving processes to put up three water tanks with the capacity to preserve 200,000 litres of the precious liquid.
“The implementation of this project is expected to be completed in August 2024 and about 12,500 area residents living in Mbesa, Lijimbo and Airport will benefit,’’ he insisted.
