Tanzania government has spent Sh85.7 billion on domestic debt, says spokesperson
What you need to know:
The government has on Thursday, October 3, 2019 said it has paid Sh85.72 billion in domestic debts to benefit pensioners, civil servants, service providers, contractors and consultant engineers.
Dar es Salaam. The government Tanzania has spent Sh85.72 billion servicing domestic debts between July and September 2019.
The director of Information Services and government spokesperson, Dr Hassan Abbasi announced this today Thursday, October 3, at his monthly briefings.
He said the amount included Sh50 billion paid to pension funds after completing the verification exercise and Sh22 billion paid as gratuity to 3,019 civil servants as well as salary arrears to 1,435 public workers.
“While Sh10.24 billion has been paid to service providers, Sh2 billion was paid to contractors and consultant engineers,” he said.
Dr Abbasi said that in the last four years a total of 289 water projects worth Sh386.15 billion have been implemented in rural Tanzania including construction of 89,780 water centers and that construction of 44,590 other water centers was also underway.
"As a result water supply in rural areas has improved from 46 per cent to 65 per cent," he said.
According to him 17 water projects worth Sh823 billion have been implemented in urban areas and 35 other projects were under implementations increasing water supply increased from 67 per cent to 80 per cent.
Regarding cashew nut trading, the government spokesperson said 211, 587 tonnes have been sold to 21 foreign buyers with 107,000 tonnes expected to be exported through the Dar es Salaam Port and that 104, 000 will be transported via the Mtwara Port.
"At least 98,000 tonnes of cashews equivalent to 41 per cent of all sold cashews have been exported. Therefore, the public should be assured that warehouses will be vacant to accommodate cashews produced in the 2018/19 season, effectively from October 21.
He said this season, the government will ensure that free market operating in the country benefits farmers and not middle men.
Dr Abbasi emphasized that implementation of strategic projects which include the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) was being executed according to the government’s plans.
