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Budget support partners want better use of funds
2008-04-24 10:39:17
By Hannah Mwandoloma
The Poverty Reduction Budget Support group has called on the government to hold people accountable for failure or misdemeanour, however senior they may be, as a way of improving the management of public finances.
In a statement issued yesterday in response to questions asked by this paper, the group`s chairman John Bradshaw, said general budget support (GBS) partners also want the government to maintain robust systems and employ honest and competent people in the civil service.
Bradshaw, who is also political and press officer in the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam, said development partners have been supporting a range of measures to help the government put the management of public finances in better shape.
Bradshaw said recent reports on perceived scandals involving misuse of public finances were a positive development in that they made vital information public.
He added that what was possibly even more important was how the government would respond to the information as it emerged.
``We have seen positive initial steps in this regard, and look forward to the cases being followed up effectively, as the President has indicated they will be in this context,`` he said, adding that constructive dialogue established between the government and budget support partners was continuing.
Bradshaw further noted that expectations were that the 14 GBS partners would extend to Tanzania substantial support in 2008/9.
He said that would follow continued good progress on the central bank`s External Payment Account (EPA) case, the bank`s overall governance, the completion of the International Monetary Fund safeguards assessment at the BoT, and the tackling of other grand corruption allegations.
He said it was the Kikwete government`s responsibility to strengthen public financial management, combat corruption, ensure independence of the judiciary, promote accountability and protect human rights.
``These responsibilities are discussed in a number of forums throughout the year between government, parliament, media, civil society and development partners, all of whom should help and encourage the government to fulfill its role,`` he stated.
According to Bradshaw, GBS places firmly with government the responsibility to use public resources efficiently and effectively and gives it the means and the incentive to build up its capacity to do that.
He pointed out that GBS underlines the need for Parliament, the media and civil society to hold the government to account and ensure that it serves society as expected.
The 14 GBS partners include the African Development Bank, Canada, Denmark, DfID/UK, the European Commission, Finland and Germany (KfW).
The others are Development Cooperation Ireland, Japan (JICA), Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Swiss Development Cooperation and the World Bank.
They are expected to provide an estimated 1,000 billion/- in budget support to the government in financial year 2008/09.
Asked about the military radar scam that is closely linked to former Infrastructure Development minister Andrew Chenge`s resignation at the weekend, Bradshaw said that he could not comment on an on-going investigation ``which is a matter for the Serious Frauds Office and its Tanzanian counterparts``.
``We will not comment on specific cases, but we can make the general point that it is right that public figures should be seen to be accountable for their actions,``he said.
Bradshaw`s remarks come after recent allegations of corruption involving senior government officials.
President Jakaya Kikwete reshuffled the cabinet in February shortly after former prime minister Edward Lowassa and two senior ministers resigned following their association with the signing of a controversial power generation contract.
The president had earlier sacked Bank of Tanzania governor Daudi Ballali over the gross mismanagement of funds in the bank`s external payment account.
While the two cases are still being investigated, some Members of Parliament on Tuesday charged that former president Benjamin Mkapa and the Energy and Minerals minister during his tenure, Daniel Yona, had bought the 4bn/- state-owned Kiwira coal power project at a throwaway 700m/-.
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