|
PCB probe details bribery loopholes in TANESCO
2007-06-16 09:18:52
By Pascal Shao
The Prevention of Corruption Bureau says it has identified 10 areas of massive corruption between customers and unscrupulous workers of the state-owned Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO).
A report released yesterday by PCB`s department of public education said investigations conducted in 16 districts on the Mainland had uncovered corruption loopholes and bureaucracy in the provision of power.
According to the report, the long time taken by Tanesco to connect service lines to customers gives room for bribery.
PCB has further discovered that customers do not know the actual charges for power connection as these vary from one customer to the other.
Investigations have also established that meter readers estimate rather than read the said meters.
This, according to the report, results in customers paying more than they consume.
It further reveals that inability to issue customers with monthly bills is another source of corruption because customers who fail to pay accumulated debts bribe Tanesco workers in order to pay less.
It also points out that shortage of staff in the company has led district managers and engineers to recruit their relatives as casual labourers.
The Bureau has advised Tanesco to introduce a client service charter that will show time spent for power connection.
It has further recommended that Tanesco stipulates connection charges and eventually ensures that reconnection is done within 24 hours.
The anti corruption organ has also recommended that faulty meters be repaired immediately.
It further called for an emergency telephone line which customers will be aware of.
The watchdog has also recommended that there should be ethics committees at all levels within Tanesco with a legal mandate to claim debts and freezing notorious customers’ properties.
These should also clear debts as well as shift Tanesco staff from one station to the other.
Tanesco has pledged to connect service lines within 30 days, the report says.
It has further pledged to place connection charges on notice boards and in the media.
Tanesco will also install Luku meters using scratch cards and will install an emergency hotline.
They have also vowed to repair the meters immediately upon receiving the report.
PCB conducted the investigation in 16 districts on the mainland.
They are Moshi Urban, Hai, Same and Kilimanjaro, Misungwi, Kwimba, Geita, Sengerema, Ukerewe, Mwanza Urban and Rungwe.
Others are Kyela, Mbozi and Mbeya Urban. Lastly, there are Tabora Urban, Igunga and Nzega in Tabora.
Tanesco has also signed contracts with private individuals as meter readers in some regions.
They are Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Arusha. Others are Tanga, Dodoma and Iringa.
Tanesco has also warned that all agents giving bills by estimation shall face the music.
|
