Kilwa South in dark despite gas power

Kilwa-South MP Selemani Bungara (CCM) has raised concern over the lack of power in his constituency, where the natural gas for electricity generation originates.

The MP noted that the ‘Songosongo’ project pipes transporting gas to the country’s business capital, Dar es Salaam pass through the villages.

“Almost all the villages near the Songosongo gas project lack power services…to make matter worse, they are not even included in the electrification project currently implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA),” said Bungara, asking the government about plans for the villagers to start receiving royalty from the gas project.

Responding, deputy minister for Energy and Minerals, Charles Kitwanga said that royalty is normally paid through central government whereby districts receive it through disbursement of development funds. He said the districts can directly receive ‘service levy’ from the companies and not royalty.

“Though Pan African Tanzania Ltd have been paying royalty to the government, it has been paying service levy direct to Kilwa District as the law states…it is not true that you don’t receive royalty from the investor, you are benefiting through disbursement of development project funds released by the treasury,” he said.

Meanwhile, construction of Maandazi Road at Msasani area in Kinondoni District might not be completed in the coming fiscal year after the government failed to allocate fund for the contractor.

Deputy Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government Authority, Aggrey Mwanri revealed this when responding to a question from Kawe legislator, Halima Mdee who wanted to know the government plans to construct the road at tarmac level.

Mdee said the road is among those given priority in the district because it connects to other roads such as Old Bagamoyo and Kimweri.

Mwanri said the actual cost for its construction is 1,079,231,250/- and that the district authority set aside 799,015,500/- for its construction in the 2013/14 financial year, but the contractor, Del Monte (T) received only 251,048,691/-He said the contractor was able to move water infrastructures, telephone and electricity poles and to improve the road so that it becomes passable while waiting for more funds.

He admitted that the Kinondoni District Authority has submitted a request for more funds through the treasury in order to complete its construction in the 2014/15 budget, but the request bounced as the treasury failed to allocated funds for it in the coming financial year.

Kilwa-South MP, Selemani Bungara (CCM)