One man eats 36bn/- Norwegian aid (that's one big Tanzanian man)

I remember it was not long time ago, in fact, it was just last week when I said, 'to hell with aid'. It doesn't help! How many years has Tanzania been receiving aid? Nearly 50! and what has come out of aid? More classes and gaps between the 'who haves' and 'who have not', but woe me when I say, 'to hell with aid' someone jumps up as high as a chihuahua would when scared, barking, 'foul, foul Subi, people will die' like they are living right now! Which nation progressed because of aid? Until when shall we keep on depending on aid? What is so difficult that's been hindering our progress? all I see, man, it's greedy, squandering public and aid money, stealing from left and right, improper management, lack of commitment and accountability, misappropriation of funds, fake and forged reports, I could go on but it's worthless. Man, I pray for the day when a common Mwananchi will decide enough is enough. I wouldn't want to be there to witness the chopping off of limbs. You are warned!

I just pray that the citizens of these developed countries (whose bled tax money is being sent as an 'aid' to developing countries), come to realize that in actuality, it's being squandered by 'a few corrupt' and not really helping the intended needy people. I hope they ask their governments to stop 'money for aid' madness all together. That would be really great! Oh sure, I mean it and am seriously hoping that it happens! This is not a joking matter. They really need to cut and stop 'aid' in terms of paper money.

Joyce Kisaka of IPPMedia's newspaper, The Guardian, reports:

Joint Norwegian-Tanzanian audit uncovered the scam

Over 36bn/- in Norwegian aid given to Tanzania between 1994 and 2006 was squandered by an individual who was awarded a procurement contract without following tendering procedures, it has come to light.
An audit into the aid money carried out jointly by Norway and Tanzania has established mismanagement on the Tanzania government side.

Norway gave the money to the Natural Resources and Tourism ministry to finance the Management of Natural Resources Programme (MNRP) in Tanzania from 1994 to 2006.

Speaking to ‘The Guardian’ this week in an exclusive interview, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Shamsa Mwangunga said the audit has just been completed and they are yet to discuss the findings with Norwegian government officials.

“This person (without revealing the name) claimed to have made advance payment for the purchase of motorcycles which were meant to help increase efficiency among government officers in the ministry.

However no delivery was made whatsoever,” Mwangunga explained.

It was alleged that the person said to be at the centre of the controversial transaction that siphoned the aid money at the expense of the nation had bad record, having committed similar misdeeds in other ministries, but was nevertheless shifted to the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism only to commit the offence. The man reportedly died last year.

“As I am talking to you now, legal action against those (ministry officials) who in one way or another are linked to the loss of the aid funds is underway,” said Mwangunga.

The minister added that her immediate plan was to hold a meeting with the Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania to discuss the misappropriation uncovered by the auditors from both countries.

Reached to comment on the matter, the Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania, Jon Lomoy said that the government of Tanzania had requested postponement of the planned meeting pending completion of the ongoing parliamentary budget meeting in Dodoma.

“We have accepted that request and I don’t think it’s proper to comment on the content of the discussion before we meet with the government representatives,” Lomoy briefly said.

The report compiled by Norwegian auditors revealed that some USD 30 million (over 36bn/-) given to Tanzania as grants over 12 years was misappropriated.

The official report by The Norwegian Anti-corruption Resources Centre entitled ‘Does Aid Work?”,” that focused on the challenges and effectiveness of Grants directed to major natural resources programmes indicated that a larger fraction of the funds received never reached the intended targets, but ended up in individual pockets.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN