Utouh advises Bunge to bring back key committee

Dar es Salaam. A former government controller and auditor general, Mr Ludovic Utouh, has urged the speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Job Ndugai, to reestablish the parliamentary Parastatal Organizations Accounts Committee (POAC).

He made the call during a ceremony to launch his book on accountability titled ‘Uwajibikaji Ndani Ya Kalamu Isiyokuwa Na Wino.’ This is roughly ki-Swahili for ‘Accountability in an Inkless Pen.’ Mr Utouh argues in the book – consisting of eleven chapters written in the Swahili language – that there are far too many public entities, for a single parliamentary committee to handle.

“My humble opinion is that it was wrong for (the National Assembly) to dissolve POAC because there are more than 200 public entities in Tanzania… These are too many for a single parliamentary committee to deal with,” Mr Utouh stressed.

The public accounts committee was dissolved in 2013 by the-then Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Anne Makinda.

In the event, Ms Makinda directed the POACs functions thitherto to be taken over by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

That decision drew criticism from some members of parliament, including the Kigoma-Urban MP, Mr Zitto Kabwe, who was the committee’s chairman.

According to the fiery Mr Kabwe, the decision was against public audit legislation which empowers three parliamentary oversight committees to monitor expenditure of public funds.

The former CAG, Mr Utouh, also reiterated the need for the separation of powers among the state pillars.

“It is my belief that, if each state pillar will act independently, that would enhance accountability,” Mr Utouh stated.

“Accountability is a fundamental driver for fostering the country’s economic growth,” said Mr Utouh when addressing participants during the ceremony.

He furthermore called upon government and other public officials to embrace accountability when exercising their official duties for the betterment of the nation.

“I also urge government retirees who served in government to share their experiences with the new generation of workers in efforts to pass on their knowledge on the accountability agenda,” he said.

The book focuses on supporting and promoting public accountability in Tanzania.

The book-launching ceremony was attended by assorted top government officials, as well as representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) and members of the diplomatic corps in the country.

The book is available for sale for Sh25,000 per copy.

Mr Utouh – who is also the founder of the recently-established ‘Wajibu Institute of Public Accountability’ (WIPA) – took the opportunity to reveal that the underlying purpose of writing the book is to educate public servants on concept of accountability, not to make money for himself from sales of the publication.

Commenting on the book, its author revealed that it lays out a number of recommendations to be considered for implementation by the government. This is with a view to enhancing public accountability in Tanzania.

The British High Commissioner in Tanzania, Ms Sarah Cooke – who was the Guest of Honour at the function – said that accountability remains a major concern in Tanzania, despite efforts by the government to address it.