PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has ordered the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) to investigate allegations facing Sumbawanga Teachers College Accountant Eric Rutamirwa and Instructor Godfrey Msenuka for burning government documents.
According to the Premier the act has led to loss of important information regarding the construction of the college.
Rutamirwa and Msenuka, who were construction coordinators, allegedly burnt the documents containing information of the project whose cost of construction materials had been inflated three times more than the actual value.
The PM issued the order after inspecting the project progress at Pito Sumbawanga Village in Rukwa Region.
The project, which is being implemented in two phases, is expected to cost 7.1bn/- upon completion and the government has already dished out 3.8bn/- in the first phase. The project commenced in August 2021 and is expected to be completed next month.
The PM hinted that, after learning about the misuse of project funds the respective ministry had planned to go and investigate the allegations but the office of an accountant was burnt to tamper with exhibits.
"The documents were burnt inside the office of the accountant and the source of the fire is yet to be established, surprisingly even the electricity system had no any technical fault even after the fire incident," he said.
The PM queried why the college accountant decided to keep the construction documents contrary to government procedures that require the documents to be kept by the coordinator of the construction committee. He ordered the duo to be investigated.
Immediately after the Premier issued the order the duo were arrested by police and were detained at Sumbawanga Police Station.
Earlier, Rukwa Regional Commissioner Queen Sendiga said they received all the directives issued by the government for further action, including working on other challenges such as the value for money for the project.
On his part, Deputy Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, Omary Kapinga, dissolved the construction committee to pave the way for investigation. A new committee that will oversee the project until its completion was formed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister expressed his dissatisfaction with the progress of Sumbawanga Municipal Hospital and Matanga Health Centre construction projects in Rukwa Region where the government has already dished out more than 2bn/-.
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He directed Head of PCCB in Sumbawanga District James Mbungano to ensure that the investigation on the expenditure of the funds allocated for the projects is completed on time.
The PM said the construction of the Sumbawanga Municipal Hospital has so far cost 1.5bn/- but it is yet to be completed despite being constructed below standards.
He noted that with the amount dished out by the government they were supposed to have completed the construction of five buildings.
Majaliwa said that another project is the construction of Mtanga Health Centre which had so far received the funding amounting to 500m/- but it was also yet to be completed.
"The construction of a health centre in the country costs between 400m/- and 500m/- in peripheral areas, you were supposed to have completed the construction and start providing services to the people," he said.
