Andrew Chenge

Legislators have tasked the government to ensure all projects proposed by the President’s Office, Planning Commission for the 2012/2013 development plan are implemented as outlined.

The Parliamentary Committee for Finance and Economy and the Opposition camp suggested this when tabling the committee’s report and the shadow budget respectively.

Presenting the committee’s views in the House, Andrew Chenge who is the chairman of committee advised the planning commission to ensure it collaborates effectively with the ministry of finance and other  ministries, and institutions in monitoring closely all development projects to be implemented in the first phase of the development plan covering 2011/2012 to 2015/16.

Chenge stressed that the commission must ensure that assessment of the implementation is done after every six months for each ministry’s target.

 “This is the think tank of the government, meant to plan the nation’s development. We want it to table its reports to the finance and economy parliamentary committee every year to facilitate assessment of implementation of the development projects,” said Chenge.

He called on the commission to improve its report delivery system to various relevant organs, saying the 2012/2013 development plan has not given the right picture as per indicated functions to be implemented in the first phase of five year development plan.

He also called on the commission to improve its relationship with ministries, regions and districts, and to also encourage Tanzanians to participate in various projects through public private partnership.

In his alternative budget, Prof Kulikoyela Kahigi, Shadow Minister responsible for the President’s office said whereas the commission’s activities were many, it had very few staff.

“The commission has only 122 staff while it needs 174, making it fail to meet its set goals. It works under difficult conditions,” said Kahigi after supporting  Chenge that the government needs to ensure all projects indicated in the 2012/13 plan are implemented thoroughly.

The opposition also criticised the government for reducing the commission’s budget to 8.007bn/- from last year’s 8.039bn/-.

“What is worse is the fact that all the funds for our development projects are donor dependent. We should be aware that currently there is a delay in releasing foreign currency, which delays implementation of our project as well,” said Prof Kahigi.

Tabling budget estimates for the year 2012/2013 for the Planning Commission, the State Minister, Social Relation and Coordination, Stephen Wasira said in his speech read on his behalf by George Mkuchika, State Minister responsible for Good Governance, that the commission will continue to implement its set objectives including debate on the amendment of the commission act of 1989 for improvement and that the amendment of the law will be tabled in the November 2012 House  session after being endorsed by the government.

Wasira said the commission will also continue to prepare the development plan for the year 2013/14 which will involve intense analysis of the success and challenges experienced during the implementation of the 2012/13 development plan.

The minister said also that under proper agreement between the commission and International Poverty Reduction Centre of China, (IPRCC) the government will establish such centre in the country which will also serve all East African Community partner states.

The ministry requested the House to approve 8.007billion shilling as total budget for the office of the President Office, Planning commission. According to the budget 5.88billion shillings is for recurrent budget and 4.47 billion shillings for other charges.

The development budget for the commission is set at 2.124billion shillings only.