By Guardian Reporter , The Guardian
THE National Assembly yesterday approved 627.78bn/- to Water ministry for fiscal 2024/25.
Speaker Dr Tulia Ackson had to intervene and issue directives after Halima Mdee (Special Seats, Opposition) demanded that the House shelve the debate to Monday for the Budget committee to sort out with the government key areas which need money.
Various contributions by MPs insisted that the funding allocated to the ministry was vastly inadequate, the MP noted, asserting that approving the estimates removes initiative on the part of MPs as to where money ought to be directed.
The Speaker overruled the motion to facilitate adoption of the estimates, while calling upon the government to work on concerns raised by legislators, including low budget allocation, insisting that approving the budget is not foreclosure of reviewing allocations before the National Budget is passed.
Adjourning the session, the Speaker cited concerns raised by the Budget committee was addition of 50/- per litre of fuel, affirming that the Budget committee will reconvene to look at the matter.
Most comments by MPs showed worries that money not going to the ministry despite being budgeted for, she said, demanding that the committee look at the matter, “to find out whether money deducted on fuel should be increased or not, or if the problem is how it is distributed.” .
“This matter will be taken to the committee because probably the funds mentioned by the minister that came from the World Bank and other stakeholders may help in the implementation of various projects,” she stated.
Earlier, during discussion, Luhaga Mpina (Kisesa) suggested the Water ministry estimates be increased to 1.5trn/- as it impacts many people. He argued that the legislature “should stand firm to defend the budget of the Ministry of Water which has dropped from 756.2bn/- in the year 2023/24 to 627.7bn/-.”
“This is unacceptable and it is at variance with the president’s goal to address water scarcity in the country,” he said, with Charles Kijege (Mwibara) affirming that the specified allocations will help the ministry to implement its responsibilities to efficiently supply water to the public.
Stanlaus Nyongo (Maswa East) aid the president’s campaign to make water available in the rural areas is a crucial step in the fight against contagious diseases, intoning that one dollar spent for clean water supply saves $4 in potential medical treatment if clean water is not accessible.
Soud Mohamed Juma (Donge) said Tanzanians are witnessing the tremendous work done by the ministry to ensure that water supply is accessible everywhere, advising that budget allocations should be increased and the water policy of 2002 be improved to rhyme with the direction of water supply gains.
Selemani Zedi (Bukene) expressed dissatisfaction with the budget allocation, urging the government to increase allocations as water is a vital sector for the public.
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