Minister for Works Dr John Magufuli

Regional managers of the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) who will fail to ensure that roads projects are implemented to the required standards will lose their jobs, Minister for Works Dr John Magufuli  has declared.

Dr Magufuli made the declaration late Friday in Dodoma when winding up debate on the ministry’s estimates for the 2012/2013 financial year he delivered early on Thursday in Parliament.

He said regional managers are charged with the responsibility of supervising roads projects from regional to national level, noting that reports of some contractors building roads whose quality is substandard shall lead to severe measures being taken on contractors themselves as well as managers.

Dr Magufuli made the declaration following questions by MPs on the rationale of letting a contractor put up a sub-standard road under the regional managers’ watch and then compel such a contractor to redo the work upon auxiliary findings that the job was not well done.

MPs cited Kilwa road and a short stretch of Shelui along Singida -Igunga highway as good examples of contractors being forced to redo construction work after performing the work below standard. MPs said it would be wise for Tanroads to stop the construction of any road upon noticing that the work was being done below standard rather than waiting for the contractor to finish the assignment then punish the firm by asking it to redo the work on its own costs.

Responding to the MPs’ concerns, Dr Magufuli said regional managers should be strict in supervising roads projects by inspecting construction works at every stage and take appropriate measures where necessary.

However, the minister said upon completion of the work, the contractor is required to stay at the site for about two years to monitor the road before handing it over to the government. Such a period, he said, enables the contractor to assess the work performed and rectify any anomalies noticed.

Speaking on procedures for paying the contractor upon completion of the job, Dr Magufuli said once a contractor has completed the assignment he has to take a Certificate of Work Completion to the consultant who scrutinises it before submitting it to Tanroads for verification.