|
Make water available first, Kikwete directs ministry
2006-01-20 08:42:16
By Guardian Reporter
President Jakaya Kikwete has directed the Minister of Water to come up with special programmes to facilitate water availability instead of investing in improving the infrastructure.
He said priority should go to ensuring that water was available to people for domestic and economic use as stipulated in the 2005 CCM election manifesto.
The President made the remarks yesterday in Dar es Salaam when he met Ministry of Water officials at their headquarters.
’We must ensure water is available. You can do anything you want to improve the infrastructure, but if there is no water, then it amounts to zero work,’ he said.
The President said the ministry should campaign against environmental degradation because it is to blame for the current water crisis.
He said the importance of the ministry in environmental protection had prompted him to think of forming the Ministry of Water, Forests and Environment, but he was advised not to do so.
President Kikwete said in dealing with the issue of environment protection the ministry should get legal advice to facilitate the protection of water sources.
The President said there was a need to find another source of water for Dar es Salaam residents instead of depending on River Ruvu alone.
He suggested that the ministry should study available water sources to supplement River Rufiji and Kidunda dams.
He also ordered the Ministry to get a solution to water problems in Hai, Same and Mwanga districts in Kilimanjaro Region.
Minister for Water Stephen Wassira said that, to solve water problems in rural areas, there was a need for the current arrangement between the local governments and residents to be changed.
Wassira said Regional Water Engineers are faced with problems like the lack of equipment that makes their work difficult.
|
