MAGUFULI’S IRON BROOM NOW SWEEPS TCAA MANAGERS OUT OF OFFICE
(Posted 18th January 2016)
The ongoing anti-corruption and anti-incompetence drive by the new Tanzanian government of President John Magufuli has claimed another high profile victim last weekend, when the Acting Director General of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Mr. Charles Chacha found himself suspended. The Minister for Transport and Communication Prof. Makame Mbarawa and his colleague, the Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr. Philip Mpango, had paid a visit to the TCAA to get to the bottom of an emerging story that newly purchased navigation equipment was not functioning.
The ADS-B system, short for Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast was purchased at a cost of at least 1.5 million Euros but failed to work, leading to a series of allegations and suspicion over the deal.
‘The suspension is not yet a sacking’ mentioned a regular Dar es Salaam based source when passing the information before adding ‘Two other senior managers were also moved to less sensitive areas of TCAA, not suspended however, to allow for an investigation without interference. When you buy supposedly new equipment isn’t it supposed to be installed by the manufacturer and tested before handing it over? Why the system is not working is anyone’s guess but the new government no longer just moves on, they act on such reports. We will see what the investigation reveals. I only hope that they act in the same way against Air Tanzania officials who have failed to produce audited accounts. No accounts means no accountability. We want to know where our tax Shillings went, what they did with it. They should just close it down’ also taking a dig at moribund national carrier Air Tanzania Corporation.
The two ministers reportedly gave the TCAA auditors two weeks to investigate and report on the deal which led to the import and installation of faulty equipment and the outcome, when known, will be reported here.
One Response
Good reporting,
TCAA need to be audited throughout with focus on the operational safety side, more TCAA inspectors are needed to perform proper Air Operator certification, followed by regular safety audits.
An air operator was fined 35000USD in 2015, for fraud with aircraft documentation, this fraud could only take place because TCAA did not follow proper safety audit procedures.