Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Ashatu Kijaji has demanded faster delivery of development projects in Kondoa, saying residents want tangible services rather than repeated promises from leaders and project managers.
Dr Kijaji, who is also the Kondoa MP, said residents were particularly concerned about delays in projects intended to improve access to electricity, water, roads and healthcare.
She said government funding for development projects should translate into services that people can use, rather than projects remaining incomplete beyond agreed timelines.
“Residents need services, not words,” Dr Kijaji said on Monday during her working tour of Kondoa, where she held public meetings in Itaswi, Bumbuta and Kinyasi wards and inspected several development projects.
Among the projects she inspected were the Mahongo Bridge and Itaswi Dam, with the minister putting the contractor working on the dam on notice to speed up construction.
Dr Kijaji said delays in completing public projects undermine the intended benefits to communities and called for greater accountability among leaders and officials responsible for implementation.
She said the government, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, was allocating significant resources to development projects across the country and that residents should see the impact of those investments through improved services.
The minister also urged residents and leaders to focus on development rather than political disputes.
Dr Kijaji directed the Itaswi Dam contractor to accelerate construction and complete the project before the onset of the heavy rains forecast under the El Niño weather conditions.
She warned that delays could expose residents to additional risks, particularly flooding and related disruption during the rainy season.
The warning comes as authorities prepare communities for heavy rainfall, with Dr Kijaji urging residents to take precautionary measures, including avoiding settlements in low-lying areas.
She also called for stronger environmental protection, cautioning residents against indiscriminate tree cutting and clearing of forests, which can increase vulnerability to flooding and other effects of heavy rainfall.
The minister's visit highlighted a broader challenge facing public development projects: ensuring that government funds allocated for infrastructure result in completed facilities and services within the promised timeframe.