D E V E L O P I N G M A N A G E M E N T CAPACITY OF TANZANIA'S ROADS
DEPARTMENT
Adam T. Andreski
European Commission Delegation to Tanzania
Technical Assistance to Ministry of Works
Abdul A. Awadh
Ministry of Works, Tanzania
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
General
The United Republic of Tanzania has a large surface area of approximately 945,000
square kilometres with about 30 million people. More than 80 per cent of the
inhabitants live in rural areas with concentrations on the geographical periphery.
Agriculture is the dominant economic activity, directly or indirectly employing some
90 per cent of the population, estimated to account for 60 per cent of Gross Domestic
Product in 1988 and greater than 65 per cent of foreign exchange earnings. Road
transport accounts for more than 80% of goods and passenger movements in the
country. Mainland Tanzania is divided into twenty Regional Administrations and the
existing classified road network covers about:
Trunk roads
10,200km (3,500kin paved)
Regional roads
20,000km
District roads
24,000km
Unclassified and feeder roads
30,000km
Urban roads
Total
800kin
85,000km
Since 1985 Tanzania has been reforming its economy through its "Economic
Recovery Programme", which has largely been aimed at moving away from centrally
planned government towards a more market driven one. A crucial part of this is the
transport sector, which is dominated by the roads sub-sector. Following a brief period
of expansion immediately after independence, the road network in Tanzania
degenerated into one of the worst in eastern and southem Africa during the 1970s and
1980s. This situation had to be reversed, and in 1987 a major donors conference was
held in Arusha. The outcome of that conference was a 10 year programme (19902000) called the Integrated Roads Project (IRP). This was an ambitious programme to
rehabilitate a large part of the road network and formulate a maintenance regime
utilising the concepts behind the World Bank's Road Maintenance Initiative (RMI).
Road Sector Organisation
1.2
Operations in the road sector follow a top down ministerial format. The current set-up
in Tanzania is a little cumbersome. The 20 Regional Engineers report directly to the
Principal Secretary for Works, and not the Director of Roads, although 80% of their
finance is channelled through the Roads Department. The Ministry of Works is very
centralised with an extremely fiat structure as can be seen in the following chart:
Mb~StP/OfWorks
[ DEpUWMENIS~R
[PmN¢IPALSECRET^RV]
I
BtlILD~NG$
0EPARrMaNT
r
ELECTRICAL
~
M~CHANICA[*
D~PAR~*I~NT
I
I
RESEACH
m.ANN~NG"S~eT~On
0EPARll,~ENT
~ pEO~N~Et~SQ
AOMINI~A~ION
REGIONAL
ENG~N~ERS
20 No
DEpARINE,NT
OF
ROAD~
~
ACCOUNTS
U~T
I
INTERNAl.
AU[HT ]
UmT
]
T
IIUPPLI~R$
&
~ERVI~E~
D[PAR~,IENT
The current organisation of the Department of Roads is shown as follows:
I
I
. ~ v ~ l scion~xm
T ~
c~xo~rtt
T
This department deals only with trunk and regional roads. District and urban roads are
handled by another ministry, the Prime Ministers Office.
ROAD SECTOR SYSTEM - FLOW CHART
F
F
J
resp
7
~
oads I
Road
. I Procurement =I
=v=
Authonty(s)
•
to Force
"~1[Account Units ~ - ' ~
Management =
V---
L
, ~ =Tender
~ ' ~ =Boards
~
Management
System
Monitonng
System
- -
Management
Management
System
__[
Management
System
~
RoadWorks
I .............yuJ
Vedficatlon
Resoumes
OrganisaUonalReview
The above chart gives an approximation on the flow of cash or information through an
hypothetical system that has yet to be developed, although many of its elements are
already in place. The current system has a number of weaknesses with respect to this
chart:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
1)
m)
n)
The Road Authority or Authorities are not yet in place.
The Road Board has no executive powers.
There is more than one ministry responsible for roads.
The Road Fund passes through a number of parties, such as treasury, and
ministry headquarters, before it reaches the District or Regional Engineer.
The current Road Maintenance Management System is ineffective, although an
improved system is being developed.
The Pavement Management System is not yet in place.
The Bridge Management System is not yet operational although partially
designed.
Human Resources Development is not systematic.
The current organisation has been reviewed and changes approved for nearly a
year, but not implemented.
The Financial Management System is still the old manually based government
votebook system.
Procurement of consultancies and works contracts can take over two years.
A basic Project Monitoring System has been designed, but is not yet
operational.
A Traffic Management System is not yet conceptually created although some
elements are being developed. Counting of traffic is not regular, and axle
weight control is weak.
Tender Board system is time consuming.
o)
P)
1.3
Force account works is still practised by Government and supported by some
donors, and
the weakest link is that Monitoring and Verification is not done systematically,
and hence feedback into the system is inadequate.
The Management Action Group (MAG)
However, in 1994, as part of the reform programme a small trait called the
Management Action Group (MAG) was established, within the Ministry of Works
Roads Department. It would address the above weaknesses and facilitate improvement
in the management of the Department of Roads' activities, particularly in the areas of
operations and programme planning and implementation. The following chart
outlines the mission of the Management Action Group and objectives.
MAG MISSION:
To establish an effective, efficient roads agency with the
capacity to upgrade, rehabilitate and maintain high priority
trunk, regional and essential feeder roads.
MAG OBJECTIVES:
.
To
identify,
develop
and
implement
comprehensive and appropriate management
systems. The systems will include a road
maintenance management system, a pavement
management
system,
and
a
management/financial information system.
.
To establish effective management processes.
These will include improved communication
procedures,
decentralisation
of
responsibility/authority to the regions and
establishment of a management training
programme.
.
To improve staff performance through
establishment of an effective Human Resource
Development programme within the Roads
Department. This will include skills training, an
incentive/motivation
programme
and
improvement of the work environment.
.
To develop and facilitate an appropriate Roads
Department organisational structure.
.
To serve as a secretariat to the Central Roads
Board (CRB).
A MAG review workshop was held in 1995 by the Ministry of Works and identified
MAG's four main areas of work in order of priority as:
.
2.
3.
4.
Human Resource Development
Institutional Reform
Sysfems Development
Commercialization
Consequently MAG will consider the three year programme in that order. This paper
will discuss the progress and plans of this unit.
2.
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
2.1
Staff Database, Job Descriptions & Training
A register is being prepared of all Roads Department staff. The database contains
qualifications, work experience and any other skills an individual may possess.
Access, a Windows based database, is being used as the base application. Job
descriptions are being prepared for all the main posts in the department. The main role
of the MAG would be to provide information on the skills required for Department of
Roads activities in the short term and those required for the successful operation of a
Roads Authority in the long term. It would then liaise with the training section in
devising programmes.
2.2
Incentive Schemes
Employees of the Tanzanian Civil Service are extremely poorly paid. Basic salaries of
engineers are about US$40 per month. Even with other allowances take home pay is
less than $100 per month. MAG has been designing incentive schemes to increase
these figures.
2.3
Professional Development
The institutions of the Engineers Registration Board and Institution of Engineers
Tanzania are in their infancy. Engineers in Tanzania comprise only 0.02% of the
population which is one tenth of that of Zimbabwe. By the Engineers Registration Act
of 1968 they should not practice unless registered. However, only 19% of engineers
are registered which compares to 62% in Malasia. Quality of work consequently
suffers. One particular culprit in allowing un-registered engineers to operate at a high
level is the government itself. Few engineers bother to register since they do not see
any benefits. The result is that engineers are no longer truly professionals. A scheme is
underway that will enable practising engineers to register. It will prepare an
examination that will enable diploma holders to upgrade to degree equivalent. It will
also conduct short courses, initially for 50 senior unregistered engineers, to prepare for
their professional exam.
2.4
Public Relations
The main objective of the project is aimed at raising the awareness of the public in the
area of protection and safe use of the roads and their furniture. Other than the general
public the focus of the project is on road users of the various classes, e.g. road users
on foot, cart pushers, bicyclists, mopeds, motor cyclists, drivers and other road users
on wheels. This is to be done through the production of easy-to-read documents, e.g.
leaflets, fliers, handouts, vehicle stickers, booklets, books etc. to inform the general
public. A fia'ther aim is to reach those with some leadership influence on the local
communities, leaders of political parties and policy makers at both levels - local and
national, so that in return they recognise the need for finance of road maintenance and
safety programmes.
3.
INSTITUTIONAL R E F O R M
3.1
Road Authority(s)
The focus of the programme is the creation of an autonomous road agency or
authorities. The study on its establishment will be in six parts as follows:
Definition t?fResponsibility.'- The current responsibilities for the road network will be
reviewed and recommendations how best these responsibilities could be redefined will
be made.
Identification and Management of Finance:- Second, an identification of sources of
finance will be required. Presently a dedicated Road Fund exists in Tanzania where a
fuel tariff is the main source of income. Other sources such as licensing fees and
transit levies will be considered. The maintenance fund requirement of the national
road sector will be estimated.
Design of Organisation Structure for the Core Network:- Third on consideration of
the organisation's workload and available finance, an organigram showing the
recommended organisation structure, staffing levels and Human Resources
Development requirements will be designed. This will include a recommended set-up
for the management board(s).
Job Descriptions & Remuneration Levels.- Fourth job descriptions with appropriate
remuneration levels for the proposed staff within the organisation, will be prepared.
Corporate Plan.'- Fifth, a corporate plan for the new organisation (Authority) covering
the first 10 years of its operation will be prepared, it will include an evaluation of the
assets of the proposed organisation, and cover not only buildings, offices and
equipment, but an evaluation of the road network in terms of the cost of its
replacement. An annual balance sheet stating value and depreciation of assets
(including the treatment of the road network as an asset), additions to the value of the
network, receipts and expenditures will be compiled to assess whether investments are
being cost effective.
Legal Framework:- Finally and sixth, the legal framework for the new Authority and a
draft Bill for enactment through Parliament, will be drafted.
3.2
Highways Ordinance
Following network classification and numbering, the legal framework of the road
network will be formalised into a modem Road Ordinance. It will review:
•
Classification of all public roads.
•
Width and boundaries of road reserve for different classes of roads for the
purpose of satisfying future demand and removing loop-holes obstructing
enforcement.
Distribution of responsibilities for constructing, altering, maintaining and
supervising the road network among Road Authorities.
The level of penalties and fines with the intention of making them serve its
purpose.
•
Linkage with Road Traffic Act
Establishment of Road Boards mainly with regard to the composition of the
Boards and co-ordination between Central and Regional Boards
3.3
Review of Regional Road and Tender Boards
A review will be carried out on how these boards have functioned to date. A study
will review how they are operating in a representative selection of Regions and
recommend ways of improving their operation and utilisation. Recommendations will
be made on how communications can be improved between these boards, the
Regional Engineers the DR, and the Central Roads Board and the Central Tender
Board.
4.
SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
4.1
Unit Rates System
A system of establishing unit rates for items of roadwork has been established. A
library of rates has been set up each for routine and periodic maintenance as well as
rehabilitation. Information will be built up from basic resources such as materials,
labour and equipment. This will enable accurate engineer's estimates to be prepared.
The construction industry estimating computer programme MANIFEST SUPER
provides the platform.
4.2
Network Classification Mapping and Numbering
A numbering system has been developed for the trunk and regional roads. Each road
is given a four digit number starting with "T" or "R" respectively. Roads are then
sub-divided into links by node points. Each link is given a unique 4 digit number.
Each node is also given a unique four digit number. Thus any link can be referenced
by its link number or two node numbers.
4.3
Road Inventory & Condition Database
An unpaved inventory and condition survey was done of the entire trunk and regional
unpaved road network. (A survey for paved roads is on-going). A five scale visual
survey was done of three elements where:
surface
shape
drainage
riding quality of the road
cross - section or ability of carriageway to shed water
ability of drainage system to take water away from
road, including side, mitre and catchwater drains.
and
I
2
3
4
5
very good
good
fair
poor
very poor
The survey viewed both road inventory and road condition. The survey vehicle
stopped at the end of each section (normally one kilometre unless at the end of a
section). Culverts and bridges were inspected on the ground. The data was entered
into a Paradox driven database called RoadMentor.
The current national unpaved inventory database totalled:
LENGTH (KM) CULVERTS SIGNS BRIDGES JUNCTIONS
24,871
31,017
2,960 4,484
2,562
Tanzania Unpaved Road Condition
45
40
35
g
3O
r'lsufface
~ 25
gshape
I
! ~ drainage '
C
o 2o
I I= average
15
10
5
O
v good
good
fair
poor
v poor
It can be seen that more of the network is poor than good. It is also interesting to note
that the condition of the drainage system is worse than the cross-section which is
worse than the surface condition.
4.4
Project Monitoring System
A computerised database has been designed enabling projects to be monitored from
inception and procurement through to implementation and completion. The system
produces graphical presentations of planned and actual progress and costs. It is a
tracking system that monitors information on individual contracts
4.5
Financial Management System Design
A financial management system Will be designed to enable all financial accounts to be
computerised and hence easily accessed, retrieved and analysed. It will enable the
proposed road authority to operate on a sound financial basis.
4.6
Bridge Maintenance Management System (BMMS)
The Norwegian system BRUTUS is being modified to suit Tanzanian conditions. It
will use the same numbering system devised for the road system.
4.7
Regional Maintenance Funds Allocation Procedure
A procedure is being devised to allocate funds to the regions based on condition and
inventories. It takes into account remoteness of region, climate, traffic and unit costs.
The key problem with the proposed system is that when funds are scarce only the first
step routine maintenance can be done. When the roads are in bad condition the
pressure is too deal with the bad roads, and consequently the system falls into disuse.
This issue is discussed in a little more detail as follows:
Recurrent or Development versus Maintenance or Rehabilitation
A degree of confusion has crept in, over recent years, in those countries that have
allowed their roads to deteriorate. (Much of sub-Saharan Africa) The question arises;
Is rehabilitation a development activity? When a gravel road turns into an earth track,
is its reinstatement a maintenance (recurrent) activity? The answer to this question is
probably a matter of time. When a paved road has lost its surface for a long period it
effectively becomes unpaved and should be treated as such. (similarly from gravel to
earth). However, road agencies, particularly provincial ones, are loath to admit this
change in condition since it may result in a reduction in their budget. The result of this
ambiguity is that sub-optimal road maintenance/repair strategies are adopted. It is well
established that money spent on maintaining roads in good condition is cheaper than
reinstating damaged roads. However, the layman or politician will always want the
damaged section repaired. This is where road maintenance is counter intuitive. The
obvious answer is not necessarily optimal. There will always be some degree of
accommodation to the public and bad roads will be repaired. If this budget ambiguity
persists then money allocated for maintaining good roads will be used for repairing
bad ones.
4.8
Road Maintenance Management System (RMMS)
A system is under development called RoadMentor. This programme was written in
Paradox for Windows and is essentially a reactive model. The fundamental part of the
system is an inventory database. Each section of road (normally one kilometre) is a
record, which contains information on section length, culverts, junctions etc. This data
can then be summarised nationally, regionally, and by road or link. Given certain road
conditions, it will suggest remedial actions depending on trigger levels entered by the
user. These actions are assigned costs and hence budgets, as well as work plans can be
generated.
The unpaved road database is described in 4.3. The information contained in the
paved condition database is a little more complex. It contains items such as rutting,
cracking, edge drop etc. This data can also be used to trigger remedial action.
A pavement management system will be set up for paved roads. RoadMentor is being
developed and will eventually have an interface with HDM4.
4.9
Equipment Management
One of the major constraints in Tanzania's road sector is the low level of road
construction plant and equipment available in all sectors. Prior to 1992, road
maintenance equipment was generally owned by the Regional Engineer's Offices, and
often it was donated on completion of a donor funded project. This resulted in a
diverse spread of equipment models which in many cases were well used and difficult
to maintain. The fact that this equipment was "free", lead to disregard of its value and
an underestimation of the cost of its use. The very low budgets for road works and low
paid, poorly motivated staff resulted in neglect and poor maintenance of this
equipment. A parastatal national plant pool was formed in 1992 and all the Regional
Engineer's heavy equipment was handed over to it. Unfortunately, it was under
funded from the onset and inherited from Government low quality equipment and
poorly motivated staff.
Fortunately, during this period the number of road contractors in the country increased
from about 40 to over 400, although many of them were minor contractors owning
little plant or vehicles. A study is currently reviewing the possibility of setting up
transitional zonal plant pools to get over this shortage and make available equipment
for hire (or hire/pttrchase) to this rapidly developing industry.
4.10
Establishing Sustainable Road Networks
A five year pilot project called Ruvuma Southern Iringa Road Maintenance
(RUSIRM) is breaking new ground and concentrates on maintenance rather than
construction. Previously, a new or improved road was built, and the recipient
government was left to handle the maintenance. Few road projects to date, financed by
any donor, have taken the long term, sustainable approach of this one. The design of
the maintenance regime takes into account likely levels of local maintenance finance.
In other words the size and standard of road network is designed to fit the expected
budget for maintenance (by 2001 ).
The network will have four maintenance standards:
.
2.
3.
4.
Fully maintained paved roads
Fully maintained unpaved roads
Partially maintained unpaved roads
Only emergency access roads
The backlog maintenance works (mostly rehabilitation) will be to a compatible
standard with the planned maintenance regime. Fully maintained roads will be fully
improved. Roads to be partially maintained will have partial improvements, and those
roads that only require access will not be improved at all.
The packaging of the works contracts is the key design feature of this project that will
ensure the sustalnability of the network and prevent the common occurrence of newly
rehabilitated roads degenerating to their original condition. Maintenance can only be
carried out if a small scale contracting industry is established locally, in this case
within the regions of Ruvuma and Iringa. Capacity can only be developed by
providing work of a similar nature to that anticipated in the future. Routine road
maintenance will be done by a series of small contracts. Periodic road maintenance
will be done by a series of larger contracts. Contractors will also specialise in
particular types of work such as vegetation control, road furniture, woodstave culverts,
concrete culverts, labour based drainage works, bridges and drifts, gravelling works,
haulage, and grading. Some larger contractors will be able to do all of these things,
but smaller maintenance contractors will tend to concentrate and develop an expertise
in a particular activity.
5.
COMMERCIALISATION
5.1
Contractors Practical Training
Much of the emphasis on contractor training in the past has concentrated on the
development of personnel in the public sector. However, the private sector has an
increasingly important part to play, particularly in road maintenance, and many
contractors are now coming into the business with little or no experience.
A pilot project has just been completed in Kilimanjaro region. Eight contractors were
trained in labour based road construction. Light equipment was made available and
technical assistance was provided by International Labour Organisation working with
Tanzania's National Construction Council.
A small 10 month contractor training project is about to start in Iringa region on
unpaved roads. The physical works will be divided into 9 packages of about 4km each
to be cons~ucted by different contractors. The trainee contractor will have about one
week planning period, followed by four weeks of construction, followed by one week
analysis. The construction will be continuous. Two types of contract are to be
prepared for the physical works. The first will be a plant hire contract providing plant
and equipment to the Regional Engineer, and the second type will be a contract
between the trainee contractor and the Regional Engineer to construct 4km of road
each. The road construction equipment pool hired by the Regional Engineer will be
sub-let to the trainee contractors.
Training will be given to 9 contractors in all the necessary processes pertaining to
gravel road construction and maintenance. These would include construction
tendering process, planning budgeting, marketing, estimating, surveying (setting out),
measurement, quality control, equipment management, personnel administration,
submission of certificates, cashflow management and final analysis of costs.
Another project in the pipeline will develop a local contracted paved road
maintenance capacity by 2001 to regularly reseal about 600km annually.
5.2
Formation of Contractors Association
Strengthening the road sector as a whole has been one of the wider objectives of
MAG. A study was initiated to form a road contractors association. This association
has recently been formed and is now operational, although it has decided to cover the
broader civil engineering sector rather than just roads. It was set up through the
National Construction Council and the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce for Industry
and Agriculture. It is called the Tanzania Association of Civil Engineering
Contractors (TACECA).
5.3
B a n k Guarantees & Bonding
Over recent years, on roads contracts, very few tender or performance bonds have
been invoked. In the light of this it was felt that these costs could be reduced. A study
was commissioned to:
a) encourage sound bonding practices on road contracts,
b) minimise expense to government on bonds and guarantees, and
c) provide security to government that tenderers submit serious bids.
Recommendations were made to:
a) eliminate the option of the National Insurance Company to complete road
contracts on default of contractor since they had no capability to commission
such works,
b) that the percentage of performance bond be reduced from 45% of contract
sum to 15%, and
c) for small value contracts (<$200,000) the requirement for performance
bonds be waived.
5.4
Other Activities
Studies are also planned to:
a) improve safety and security on construction sites
b) prepare consultants register
c) prepare training programme for consultants
d) update the contractors register
6.
CONCLUSION
Although the Tanzanian road network is in many places in poor condition, and the
management of the road sector has a number of weaknesses, significant improvements
have been made since 1990.
• The paved trunk roads are greatly improved, particularly, the TANZAM highway
linking D a r e s Salaam to Zambia, and the northern corridor from Dares Salaam to
Arusha.
• There has been a major shift from force account works to contracted road works.
Over 70% of road maintenance work done at a regional level is now by contract.
• A "Road Fund" dedicated to road maintenance is now operational. It is mainly
financed by a fuel tariff which started at about US$0.03/litre and is now at S0.1/It.
Consequently funding for road maintenance has increased considerably.
• Road maintenance is now becoming decentmlised from the centre to the regions.
• The number of road contractors has increased dramatically from less than 40 to
over 400, and they have now formed their own civil engineering contractors
association.
• The road network is being catalogued and numbered.
• Systems are being developed.
• Institutional reform is underway.
• The sustainability of road improvement projects is now being taken into account,
both by donors and Government.
• Maintenance is being given greater priority.
• The road user is becoming involved through the road boards.
However, there is still a long way to go before it can be truthfully said that roads in
Tanzania are being managed by a modem efficient institution.