KAGERA: THE Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) is investigating various projects worth 13.815bn/- being implemented in Kagera Region between July-September, this year to establish the value for money, it has been disclosed.
Acting Kagera Regional PCCB Chief, Mr Ezekia Sinkala explained that about 16 projects worth 6.871bn/- were found with discrepancies while the institution made necessary recommendations to rectify them.
The projects include education, health and water sectors while some of the projects lacked the required value for money and improper record keeping on purchased materials, he said.
Under the education sector, he cited the construction of Kanyamika primary school, a project which cost about 348.5m/- where some of the purchased materials were not entered in the ledger book.
A project involving the construction of a Vocational Education Training College (VETA) in Biharamulo district, at a total cost of 1.687b/- upon completion, was also found with discrepancies, where the materials used were below the required standard, he said.
At a project involving the construction and expansion of a market complex at Muleba Council, at a cost of 70m/-, some of the building materials worth 3.5m/- had already been paid for but the materials had not been received at the site, he said
Mr Sinkala explained that in some of the Councils, it was revealed that at some of the completed and ongoing projects the Council did not deduct Withholding Tax from the contractors thus resulting in loss of millions of shillings.
“We have accordingly advised the Councils to make a follow-up and submit the Withholding Tax to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA),” he said.
Mr Sinkala elaborated that during the period (July-Sept), the institution received about 98 complaints, out of which 36 complaints were related to corruption. So far the investigation of about 18 complaints have already been completed, he said.
He listed departments with number of complaints in brackets to include Judiciary (10), Education (9), Treasury (6), Works (5), Health (6), Administration, Trade (7), Water (4) and Police (5).
