DODOMA — SPEAKER of National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson has urged regional managers of the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) to immediately inform the government on the damaged road so as to enhance timely repair.

The Speaker argued that delays in giving information led the government to incur more costs in reconstructing the roads.

"I am asking managers to immediately give reports on the roads that need maintenance instead of waiting for major rehabilitation of reconstruction," Dr Ackson stated when officiating the opening of the works sector exhibition held at the Parliament grounds here in Dodoma.

The exhibitions are held as part of activities ahead of tabling of the Ministry of Works budget for 2024/2025 fiscal year.

She used the platform to applaud President Samia Suluhu Hassan for the big investment in constructing new roads and upgrading others.

The Speaker said the government has purchased modern equipment for checking the quality of newly constructed roads before the contractors hand them over to the government.

"Since you have this equipment, it means that roads will not be handed over to the government without needed quality and thus making the roads last longer," she said.

At this juncture, she cited Dodoma-Iringa Road as an example of roads poorly constructed as it started getting potholes in just a short period after being constructed. 'It's important that these tools go to perform the intended work, this country has 214 constituencies, and every constituency has an MP who will know if the road has no quality," she said.

Regarding the Tanzania Electrical, Mechanical and Electronics Services Agency (TEMESA), Dr Ackson commended it for introducing a mobile service system of offering services around the clock.

However, she said only one equipped truck to reach out to customers for providing services was not enough.

She asked the agency to add more trucks to make such services available countrywide.

Earlier, when welcoming the Speaker, Minister for Works, Mr Innocent Bashungwa said the exhibitions involved several institutions under his docket as well as stakeholders providing services in the sector.

Among the participating institutions included the TANROADS, TEMESA, Engineers Registration Board (ERB), Contractors Registration Board (CRB) and others.