|
MPs quiz CAG on Alex Stewart and Meremeta
2008-04-24 10:43:31
By Judica Tarimo, Dodoma
The government and the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) were yesterday accused of deliberately omitting from the latest CAG`s report the audited accounts of dubious mining projects worth billions of shillings.
``The government had corruptly paid Alex Stewart, Mwananchi Gold Mining and Meremeta huge sums of money. This money is not seen in the latest CAG audited report. It is a serious omission,`` said leader of the opposition in the House, Hamad Rashid (CUF).
The legislator was contributing to reports of both the Public Accounts and Local Government Authorities` Accounts Committees tabled in Parliament for discussions.
The reports were presented by chairmen of the House`s Public Accounts and Local Government Authorities` Accounts Committees, John Cheyo (UDP) and Wilbrod Slaa (Chadema) respectively.
The reports revealed gross embezzlement of public funds in central and local government authorities, largely triggered by violation of public procurement laws by relevant officials.
The heads of both parliamentary watchdogs, Cheyo and Slaa, blasted the government for failure to implement recommendations made by the House organs, which had shed light on plugging existing corruption and embezzlement loopholes in local and central government circles.
MPs who contributed to the debate accused both the government and CAG of deliberately excluding the audited accounts of the controversial mining projects - Alex Stewart, Mwananchi and Meremeta - which were under the custodianship of the Bank of Tanzania (BOT).
``Where is 60bn/-which is said to have been paid to Alex Stewart? Where is 8bn/- paid to Mwananchi Gold Mining project? Where are billions of shillings paid to Meremeta mining project?`` queried MP Hamad Rashid.
``Where is this money? Why is it not indicated in the CAG’s latest report? The omission is serious, bearing in mind that the CAG had already made his report public, but audited accounts of these projects are not seen. Why?`` asked the MP.
The MP criticised government excuses of lack of experts in the course of signing dubious and corruption-triggered contracts.
``The problem of expertise is non existent. There is no way the government could controversially pay 8bn/- to Mwananchi Gold Mining and come here saying they were wrongly paid the amount due to lack of experts,`` said MP, adding:
``Lack of experts should not be used as an excuse while billions go into the pockets of a few people through dubious and corrupt contracts.``
Estherina Kilasi (Mbalali, CCM) tasked ministers to give a feedback on how they implemented recommendations made by parliamentary watchdogs in the previous financial year before seeking endorsement of new budgets.
``How can you submit new budgetary proposals before we get a feedback on progress made in plugging corruption and embezzlement loopholes, as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee?`` she asked.
The MP advocated the setting up of a formal and binding system for ministers to provide feedback on implementation of proposals that had been made by House committees.
``It is disappointing to see that most of the heads of ministries are not here (in the House) as the parliamentary public accounts and local government accounts committees are presenting their reports, which, in fact, touch on all ministries,`` she said.
|
