Katavi. The Ministry of Finance has raised concerns over persistent weaknesses in the management of government assets, warning that poor record-keeping, inadequate asset registration and the accumulation of idle equipment are costing taxpayers millions of shillings and contributing to recurring audit queries.
Speaking during the opening of a public asset management training programme for heads of public institutions in Katavi Region, Assistant Director for Accidents and Compensation in the Government Assets Management Department, Dr Wenceslaus Sobayi, said public leaders have a legal obligation to safeguard state property and ensure it is used efficiently for the benefit of citizens.
The training, held at the National Audit Office in Katavi, brought together heads of public institutions from Katavi and Rukwa regions as part of government efforts to strengthen accountability and improve asset management ahead of the 2026/27 financial year.
Dr Sobayi said recent verification exercises conducted by the Ministry of Finance across public institutions during the 2023/24 to 2025/26 financial years uncovered significant gaps in asset management systems.
Among the challenges identified were missing ownership documents, failure to register assets in the Government Asset Management Information System (GAMIS), inconsistencies in asset records and the continued existence of obsolete, idle and surplus assets.
The shortcomings, he noted, not only undermine the value of public investments but also increase government spending on procurement and maintenance while attracting adverse findings from the Controller and Auditor General (CAG).
“The government continues to incur substantial costs purchasing and maintaining assets that are not being managed effectively. At the same time, these weaknesses continue to generate audit queries,” Dr Sobayi said.
He urged accounting officers and institutional leaders to ensure that all public assets are properly recorded in GAMIS, maintained in good condition and utilised for their intended purposes. He also stressed the importance of promptly reporting incidents involving loss, damage or accidents affecting government property.
The government has in recent years intensified efforts to improve oversight of public resources, recognising that effective asset management is critical to service delivery, fiscal discipline and value for money in public spending.
Dr Sobayi said strengthening the capacity of public officials remains a key strategy in addressing long-standing management challenges and ensuring that government assets contribute fully to national development objectives.
He encouraged participants to use the training programme to exchange experiences and adopt best practices that would enhance transparency and accountability in the institutions they lead.
Representing participants, Mpimbwe District Executive Director Shamim Daudi Mwariko welcomed the initiative, saying the training would help public officials improve compliance and strengthen management of government property.
She called on the Ministry of Finance to institutionalise similar programmes and expand practical training on the GAMIS platform to enable institutions to keep accurate asset records and improve operational efficiency.
“The knowledge gained from these sessions will help us strengthen accountability and ensure that public assets are managed in accordance with government requirements,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance's Chief Government Asset Manager, George Kanyama, said the government has introduced several reforms aimed at modernising public asset management.
These include amendments to the Public Finance Act, Chapter 348, and the enactment of the Public Asset Management Regulations of 2024, which provide a stronger legal framework for the management, monitoring and disposal of government assets.
Mr Kanyama said the reforms are intended to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability across public institutions while ensuring that government resources generate maximum value for citizens.
He reminded accounting officers that public assets belong to Tanzanians and that institutional leaders are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting them on behalf of the nation.
“Public assets are national resources. They must be managed with diligence, integrity and a strong sense of responsibility because they are held in trust for all citizens,” he said.
The training forms part of a wider government drive to strengthen public sector governance and improve stewardship of state resources as Tanzania seeks to enhance efficiency in public administration and reduce losses arising from weak asset management practices.
