CAG inspects Makutupora-Kigoma, Tabora-Mwanza SGR projects worth 35tri/-

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Charles Kichere, has conducted a four-day inspection tour of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) construction projects covering the Makutupora–Tabora, Tabora–Kigoma, Tabora–Isaka and Isaka–Mwanza sections.

The visit aimed to assess project implementation, identify challenges and review measures being taken to ensure the projects are completed on time and in accordance with the required standards.

Speaking during the tour, Kichere said the Office of the Controller and Auditor General (OCAG) had a responsibility to ensure that public funds invested in the SGR projects were used efficiently and delivered value for money, given the scale of the investment.

“The SGR project is a major undertaking, costing more than 35tri/-. Therefore, the Office of the Controller and Auditor General has a responsibility to oversee the project to ensure taxpayers’ money is properly used and that we obtain value for money,” Kichere said.

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He said the projects were generally progressing well, while urging Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) to continue closely supervising contractors to ensure that construction meets the required quality standards and delivers the intended benefits to citizens and the nation.

Meanwhile, the Budget Commissioner at the Ministry of Finance, Meshack Anyingisye, who represented the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said the few challenges identified during the inspection were within the government’s capacity to address.

He said the government would work to resolve the issues to improve the implementation of the SGR projects.

For his part, TRC Director General Engineer Machibya Shiwa thanked the CAG for visiting the projects and assessing their implementation.

He said the inspection had been beneficial to the corporation and contractors, as it helped identify emerging challenges and explore solutions to ensure the projects proceed successfully.

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