Govt probes Sh7.3bn spent on Horohoro border post
The minister for Works, Infrastructure and Communications, Professor Makame Mbarawa
What you need to know:
The building houses the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Customs, Immigration, Weight and Measure, Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority and Tanzania Bureau of Standards.
Tanga. Dissatisfied with the expenditure of Sh7.3 billion on the construction of its building at Horohoro One Stop Border Post (OSBP), the government said it is forming a team to conduct a value for money audit on the structure.
The building houses the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Customs, Immigration, Weight and Measure, Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority and Tanzania Bureau of Standards.
The minister for Works, Infrastructure and Communications, Professor Makame Mbarawa, disputed the actual value of the building purported to stand at $4,562667 (about Sh7.3 billion).
Prof Mbarawa said the building did not reflect the actual cost for the work as stipulated in the government orders, regulations and principles.
His remarks come days after his recent tour of the OSBP in Tanga Region where, he among other things, inspected the building, which is already in use, only to discovered that it was in a dilapidated condition, as some of its roofs could easily be pulled down shortly.
Prof Mbarawa said he was shocked to learn that the roof of the building was leaking when it rained and its generator, which was part of the project, was not working since its was installed.
Several top TRA officials stand to be investigated to find out if they were implicated in the project’s shortfalls.
In-charge of TRA at the border post Edwin Iwato told the minister that the construction of the centre started in July 2, 2011, and was accomplished by February 28, 2014. It had not been officially opened yet, he said.
Mr Iwato could not divulge details on the project, saying officials from the TRA headquarters in Dar es Salaam were overseeing it, admitting, however that the generator had never worked ever since it was installed.
TRA head of projects Chris Mkaja declined to comment on the issue, directing this reporter to seek clarification from the authority’s head of Communications and Taxpayers Education Richard Kayombo.
Mr Kayombo said the World Bank had through the East African Community funded the construction of the centre at the Tanzania-Kenya border and that an Indian firm —Sai Consultancy Company —had implemented it along with a local contractor—Siha Construction Company.
