Relentlessly Combat Local Council Graft

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

17 May 2011

editorial

Touted as the best means to mobilise resources for effective service provision at the grassroots, local councils have become a disgrace, as most of them are mired in corruption. The graft in the local governments is deeply rooted in several areas, but the most notorious is the award of tenders for development projects, including schools, health centres and roads.

More often, inexperienced and ill-equiped contractors are selected to execute key projects. This explains the widespread shoddy work on public buildings and roads.In other words, the value-for-money principle means very little or nothing to some of the local authority executives. Outspoken, poorly paid councillors are simply bribed to keep quiet about questionable expenditures. Corruption has become the biggest hindrance to the efficient implementation of public projects.

Millions of shillings are lost through over-invoicing in the purchase of goods and services. The local authorities hardly adhere to the procurement law, creating a fertile ground for unscrupulous staff to engage in dubious deals. The authorities are also notorious for spending millions of shillings on ghost workers.Though it is true that most local authorities lack qualified staff such as accountants, internal auditors or engineers to supervise construction projects, sleaze, irresponsible behaviour and the get-rich-quickly syndrome gripping some executives are squarely to blame.

And it is the poor villagers and urban taxpayers who suffer the most, as this mediocrity and plunder take root.We commend the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government Accounts led by Mr Augustine Mrema for exposing the rot in the various councils. In fact, the committee has requested the Controller and Auditor General to conduct special audit in many district councils, and we hope this will be done immediately to flush out the cheats.

The committee has also recommended that the stolen funds be recovered from the errant district council executives’ salaries and their ill-gotten wealth forfeited to the government. Such drastic measures will go along way towards restoring public trust in local government authorities.

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