CoST shines light on how public money is spent – Hon. Ilomo.

Permanent Secretary President’s Office Hon. Peter Ilomo, officially opening construction projects meeting at  Holiday Inn Hotel in Dar es Salaam on 2.2.2017. Right is the Chairman of the Construction Sector Transparency initiatives (CoST- Tanzania), Mr Kazungu Gili and Acting Chief Executive of the National Construction Council, Elias Kissamo.

Chairman of the Construction Sector Transparency Initiatives (CoST-Tanzania), Mr Kazungu Gili, addressing members of CoST and other building stakeholders during the opening ceremony at Holiday Inn Hotel in Dar Es Salaam.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of The National Construction Council (NCC), Elias Kissamo addressing the construction stakeholders meeting on construction project at Holiday Inn in Dar es Salaam on 2.2.2017.

Stakeholders on construction issues listen attentively to the speakers during the opening ceremony of their meeting.

The Permanent Secretary, President’s Office Hon. Peter Ilomo, pose for a group photograph after officially opening the National Construction Council and other stakeholders meeting in the construction industry in Tanzania at Holiday Inn Hotel in Dar Es Salaam on 2.2.2017.

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Jacquiline Mrisho – MAELEZO

The Permanent Secretary in President’s Office, Honorable Peter Ilomo has commended the Construction Sector Transparency Initiatives (CoST – Tanzania) for enlightening the

Government on the use of public money due to their focus on enhancing transparency.

Hon. Ilomo said this in a meeting involving various stakeholders in the construction industry held at the Holiday Inn auditorium in Dar es Salaam on behalf of Minister of State, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Honorable Angellah Kairuki.

Hon. Ilomo said that, CoST’s activities focuses on enhancing transparency in construction industry through disclosing information on delivery of public infrastructure something which will help to identify potential efficiency savings which complements Public financial management together with procurement reforms.

                      

“The work being done by CoST – Tanzania is an opportunity for the Government and the Public in general to track on how Public money is being spent on infrastructure delivery, such tracking will definitely save the country’s money through reduced corruption, improved management and delivery of better performing infrastructure,” Hon. Ilomo said.

Hon. Ilomo added that, the information included in its Infrastructure Data Standard is required to be disclosed by law to Regulatory Authorities so, CoST is actually helping Procuring Entities to comply with already existing legal and regulatory requirements so as to help them on fulfilling their obligations.

Hon. Ilomo has encouraged CoST and the National Construction Council (NCC) to broaden their efforts and to undertake more disclosure activities especially in Procuring Entities because the output from those activities  will be used by oversight organs to expand their data sources.

Meanwhile, CoST’s Chairman, Eng. Kazungu Magili explained that, disclosure  of information benefits related to Public financed construction projects will allow the public to know the perfomance of  certain projects so as to raise Government reputation to its citizen.

“Through this transparency we expect to support the better management of Public finances, prevent corruption and to be used as a catalyst by bringing the disclosed information to the Public which shall help other Government’s Anti-corruption Instruments to make follow up,” Eng. Magili said.

 In this year, CoST intends to evaluate at least ten construction projects including the construction of flyovers, buildings built by Tanzania Buildings Agency (TBA) especially the construction of the new University of Dar es Salaam hostels also buildings built by National Social Security Funds (NSSF) together with National Housing Construction (NHC).