Tanzania suspends approval of water construction projects over inflated costs

"Most of the contractors for water projects are not trustful. They are inflating costs for implementing the projects," said Makame Mbarawa, the east African nation's Minister for Water.

He announced the suspension to approve construction of water projects shortly after he had inspected water projects in the southern municipality of Lindi.

Mbarawa said after he had inspected most of the water projects in the country he had realized that most of the contractors were inflating costs for implementing the projects in order to get huge profits.

"At the moment all water projects will be undertaken by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Authority and water authorities in respective areas," said the minister.

On Sept. 11, Mbarawa said the government planned to renovate all 88 defective water projects across the country. He said most of the water projects planned for revival was a result of shoddy work by crooked engineers.

"There are about 88 water projects nationwide that were undertaken between 2010 and 2013 but none has produced water despite consuming a lot of money for their construction," he said when he launched a water supply project in the capital Dodoma.

"The shoddy work should be blamed over engineers that spent the government money without achieving the planned results. This sorry state of affairs should not be entertained again," said Mbarawa.

XINHUA