A REVIEW of the prevailing corporate social responsibility (CSR) regulations is underway to allow local government authorities (LGAs) take full charge of monitoring and evaluating development projects implemented by local and foreign investors.

Minister for Transport Innocent Bashungwa told the National Assembly yesterday that to start with, CSR contracts for Dodoma Region have been suspended due to alleged irrelevance and fraud in their implementation.

Bashungwa said that the ministry and the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) have agreed to release joint guidelines on implementation of the projects.

He directed the Tanzania National Roads Agency (Tanroads) to immediately stop ongoing CSR projects until the two ministries have issued new implementation guidelines.

“CSR projects are implemented as per regulations set by ministries; it depends on which sector the project falls into,” said Bashungwa.

He was responding to arguments by legislators who demanded immediate suspension of the ongoing CSR projects to pave the way for a probe in value for money among other aspects.

In her contribution, Salome Makamba, Special Seats MP said that most of foreign investors have been dictating implementation of CSR projects with regard to global standards.

“Global standards don’t align with force accounts and obligates that there must be a project consultant. The scenario leads to many CSR projects going unaccomplished,” she said.

According to her, the scenario has also caused unrealistic or hiked CSR projects costs. For instance, she said that two drilled wells in Dodoma Region have been reported to have cost 1.3bn/- by one of foreign investors.

“That is why we have been told that Nala Primary School in Dodoma has cost 2.3bn/- in construction. This is unrealistic. CSR projects should be audited and closely monitored,” she said.

Joseph Musukuma, Geita Rural MP, was of the view that the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) should engage sectoral ministries in monitoring CSR projects, citing the minerals ministry as an example.

He argued that Geita District Council in the current fiscal year has been allocated 9bn/- for implementation of CSR projects but so far only 1bn/- has been disbursed.

“Councillors are not allowed by the current regulations to monitor and evaluate implementation of the projects. We need to review the regulations,” he said.