Govt to pay Sh14bn water debts

The minister for Water, Prof Jumanne Maghembe.PHOTO|FILE 

By  Ludger Kasumuni ,The Citizen Reporter

In Summary

The minister also said the same modality would be used to settle debts owed to Dodoma Urban Water and Sewerage Authority (Duwasa) amounting to over Sh800 million.

Dar es Salaam. The minister for Water, Prof Jumanne Maghembe, has assured urban water authorities in the country that the accumulated debts amounting to Sh13.6 billion will be settled through budgetary allocations in the 2014/15 financial year through the Treasury.

 

According to a statement released by the ministry on Saturday, when launching a new water project in Dodoma on Friday, Prof Maghembe said that water debts accumulated by public institutions would be settled through deductions from budgets of the responsible institutions from the Treasury.

The minister clarified that the move was meant to ensure financial accountability.

“Each public institution is required to pay its debts from its allocation. The Treasury will effect this starting this financial year,” he said.

The minister also said the same modality would be used to settle debts owed to Dodoma Urban Water and Sewerage Authority (Duwasa) amounting to over Sh800 million.

According to the statement, his ministry will work closely with the ministry of Finance to implement the programme.

“Each public institution will effect payment of water bills through funds approved and paid directly by the Treasury,” said Prof Magembe. He also said Duwasa was in the process of implementing water supply expansion projects by tapping water from Mzakwe to Dodoma urban areas.The giant project worth $43 million (Sh78 billion) is supported by the government of South Korea and is targeting to double water supply in Dodoma Municipality from 31 million litres to 61 million litres