TOP RUBADA OFFICIALS SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY OVER MISUSE OF 2BN/-

Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives minister, Stephen Wassira (R), flanked by the Permanent Secretary to the ministry, Sophia Mduma, at a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday

Three top officials of Rufiji Basin Development Authority (Rubada) have been suspended indefinitely over allegations of misuse of funds to the tune of 2bn/-.

 

Announcing the suspension yesterday, Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives Minister Steven Wassira said the treble will be arraigned pending completion of investigations. 

 

The three are Rubada Acting Director Aloyce Masanja, Planning Director Tabu Ndaturu and Finance Director Filozi Mayayi.

 

Addressing journalists at his office in Dar es Salaam, Wassira said that there were a number of complaints from agriculture stakeholders, investors and staff on the management’s embezzlement of funds.

 

He directed the board of directors to appoint an interim managing director before the vacant posts are advertised. 

 

He said that Rubada was geared to help the government reach its goals in the agricultural sector but it has ended up frustrating both the government and investors.

 

“The authority operates unprofessionally as people are not performing their duties in accordance to the laid regulations. This is an authority where top officials could approve payments instead of the chief accountant,” said the minister.

 

Wassira said following the complaints, the government decided to form a committee to investigate the authority’s performance, the aim being to rescue the shaking authority.

 

The committee was led by Semloki Mwanyika who is the Assistant Director with the government Internal Audit Department. Other committee members were from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives.

 

Rubada received more than 2.7bn/- from the central government whereby nobody knows how 2bn/- was spent, he said. 

 

According to the committee report, the officials are also alleged to have spent 13m/- for private purposes while the other 13m/- that was given as loan to the authority’s staff has not been dished out to the same.

 

The report further shows that more than 58m/- that was deducted from employees’ salaries for their pensions at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has not been paid todate. 

 

As if that was not enough, another 300m/- that was approved by the authority for construction of a training camp have disappeared.

 

“We are in a position where investors are demanding for their money which they paid us for the purchase of plots for agricultural activities,” Wassira said.

 

Wasira said that Rubada was formed in 1970s and it was expected to help the government to promote investments in the sectors of agriculture and hydropower production. 

 

It was also expected to support farmers in the regions of Coast, Morogoro, Ruvuma, Mbeya and Lindi to improve their farming.

 

However, none of these activities had been implemented 40 years down the line.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN