Dodoma RAS readies to house newcomers

LYDIA SHEKIGHENDA in Dodoma

Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Ms Rehema Madenge

THE Dodoma Regional Commissioner (RC)’s office will this week submit an emergence request for funds to facilitate completion of its new administrative complex on the outskirts of this city in the making.

Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Ms Rehema Madenge, told the ‘Daily News’ yesterday that she will also request the Administration and Local Governments Committee to assist in sourcing other funding avenues.

Construction of the RC’s building which has now taken a decade requires at least 10.7bn/-. Earlier this week, the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warned that it would take more than five years to build this single regional complex - if the regional officials continue doling out its perennial 2bn/- allocation in the national budget.

However, the Committee advised RAS to request for special funds from Treasury to allow the building to be completed because it’s also expected to accommodate some government departments recently being relocated to Dodoma. Ms Madenge observed that even though she had tendered her special request, she still ‘concurred’ with the PAC advice.

“Although we have a budget ceiling on development projects, I’m soon going to write to Treasury soon … as advice by the PAC ... I will be asking for a ‘special fund’ to facilitate completion of this building,” Ms Madenge insisted.

According to a report presented to the PAC members who toured the building, some 13.112bn/- out of the 14.818 budget has been spent on the project over the past eight years; now a total of 10.7bn/- is needed for its completion.

The Project Consultant Engineer, Gilbert Chilewa said that a total of 10bn/ was needed for completion of the structure and if the government will provide them with the money , they are capable of completing the work by May, this year.

He said the project commenced on June 6, 2009 and it was expected to be completed in 2011, but it was impossible due to financial constraints.

One of the Committee members, Yosepher Komba - Special Seats on Chadema ticket said that the regional office should now request for special funds in order to complete the project.

“Construction of this building has taken too long ... you have requested 2bn/- in this year’s budget while you actually need 10bn/- … it’s high time you applied for a special fund in order to complete this project,” she said.