DAR ES SALAAM, May 16 (Xinhua) -- A senior Tanzanian government official told parliament on Thursday that plans were afoot to inspect all constructed irrigation projects in the nation.

Omary Mgumba, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, said the move was aimed at establishing whether construction of the irrigation projects meet required standards.

"The inspection of irrigation projects constructed across the country is aimed at assessing their standard and whether funds released by the government for their construction were spent accordingly," Mgumba told the House in the capital Dodoma.

On Tuesday, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa suspended seven directors of irrigation from the Tanzania Commission for Irrigation for negligence.

Majaliwa directed the Controller and Auditor General to launch an investigation into the conduct of the suspended directors.

"We will not have mercy on anybody who is implicated in negligence and embezzlement of public funds," he told a meeting with directors of the commission held in Dodoma.

Majaliwa said the suspension of the directors followed reports of corruption, office abuse and embezzlement of public funds for implementation of irrigation projects.

"Directors implicated in sabotaging irrigation projects will face the full force of the law," warned Majaliwa.

He said the Tanzania Commission for Irrigation has failed to oversee 10 irrigation projects in the nation, frustrating efforts by the government aimed at improving irrigation farming. Enditem

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