MPs urge private institutions to pay over 40bn/- SUMA JKT debt

DODOMA: SUMA JKT, a company under the National Service, is owed more than 40bn/- by public and private institutions in accumulated debts, Parliament was informed yesterday.

Because of the debt related to different services offered by the army, the parliamentary committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security asked the government to make sure that all institutions owed by SUMA JKT clear their debts immediately.

The committee chairperson, Vita Kawawa issued the parliament’s stance when presenting the committee’s 2024 annual implementation report regarding duties and responsibilities of the committee.

“SUMA JKT which was established for special purposes, which goes with objectives of establishing the National Service in the country, is owed by public and private entities over 40bn/-,” he said.

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According to him, if the debt is not cleared, it will affect working efficiency and operations of SUMA JKT, the investment/ economic wing of the National Service.

“SUMA JKT is currently implementing several strategic projects, so failure by defaulters to honour their obligations amounts to sabotaging the army and its objectives,” added the committee chairperson.

Therefore, Parliament endorsed a resolution that the government should make sure that all private and public entities owed by SUMA JKT in debts are paying their debts immediately.

Also, the committee asked the government to supervise the company to make its policy assessment by considering a move seeking to collect its debts as well as preventing or reducing a possibility of having new debts.

“The government should equally enable SUMA JKT to put up a robust sustainable system which will not allow debts in the course of offering services so as to avoid new debts,” added the committee chairperson.