|
Write to: The Editor, Arusha Times, P.O. Box 212, Arusha.
E-mail:
arushatimes@habari.co.tzmailbag1
 Create
Arusha City Roads Trust Fund
The Editor,
I am a frequent reader of Arusha Times and I wish to make a few suggestions to
start up some discussions with the real Arushans.
During the Easter Holidays, I had plenty of time with myself and spent part of
it enjoying the ride around the city without the traffic jams. Some of you may
have noticed that after a downpour, which we had plenty of during Easter, and
when the road surface is beginning to dry up but not quite there yet, you see
the failing section of the road very clearly. The cracks are very obvious even
to the unschooled eye. I was shocked to notice that most of the roads completed
a few years back are quickly disintegrating.
Without any action, we shall soon (give it three years at most) have potholed
roads all over and immediately after that we shall grade off the tarmac and then
back to the bad old days when Arusha was like a ghost city.
Dusty or muddy roads everywhere. I do not even need to describe it for anyone.
We all remember clearly how it looked like.
So what I am saying is that we need to do something and do that now
if not yesterday!
I am suggesting that Arusha people try and help themselves and then seek support
from government and others. I am suggesting that Arusha start an Arusha City
Roads Trust Fund. This fund would have a Board to run it. Members of the Board
would be selected from eminent persons from both the public and private sector.
People with integrity. People with strong vested interest in the improvement of
roads in Arusha.
The trust fund would be started up with an initial injection of funds from the
City Council or is it still Municipal Council. Even if it is a token amount. The
Board would then get necessary authority to levy say 50shs for
every litre of diesel/petrol at pump level. This money would be collected at
bulk sellers point (shell, BP, Caltex, Mobil etc). This means the money would be
collected in large chunks. Say if a filler station bought 10,000 litres of
petrol, they would be charged an extra 500,000shs for the road trust fund. The
Board could solicit supplementary funding from central government, industries
and other donors. . I do not know how much fuel Arusha consumes daily. What I
know is that within six months the fund should have enough funds to begin actual
road improvement works. As we all know, municipal roads are usually short
stretches.
Do not get me wrong. I am aware fuel prices are already high as it is. However,
ask any motorist. If there is enough guarantee that every cent collected shall
be ploughed into road improvement, they are willing to pay this extra amount.
Anybody who remembers how bad the roads were before Konoike came in, is more
than willing to contribute an extra 50shs for further improvement of the road
network. Even the property owners know thatwhen the road is improved, the value
of their property increases.
Subsequently, the board would develop a criteria for prioritisation of the
road improvement projects and tender those out accordingly.
I know, the Board would have to work hard to ensure there is transparency
in the whole process in order to gain confidence from the general public
which is very vital. They have to be convinced that their contribution
is not in vain. If the Board is well chosen, I am sure they can live up to
the expectations of the Arusha citizenry and soon they will appreciate
their efforts and support them even further..
L. W. Ndiwaita
Lambert Ndiwaita@icao.unon.org
|
