1 trillion/- revenue collection target for ports authority

LYDIA SHEKIGHENDA

THE Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Prof Makame Mbarawa, hands over working documents to the new Board Chairman of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Prof Ignas Rubaratuka (left), when he inaugurated it in Dar es Salaam. Looking on is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Leonard Chamuriho. (Photo by Robert Okanda)

THE newly-appointed Board of Directors of the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has been directed to increase ports revenue to one trillion/- from 623bn/- collected annually and stem all rot that have led to inefficiency at the ports.

The directive was issued in Dar es Salaam by the Minister for Works, Transport and Communications, Professor Makame Mbarawa, insisting that the government was determined to improve the performance of the country’s ports as important sector towards promoting economic development.

Speaking during the inauguration of the board, Prof Mbarawa said the government has been losing revenue due to poor infrastructure of the sea gateways, especially at the Dar es Salam Port.

He explained that a team of experts formed by the government to investigate on ports infrastructures has discovered a number of shortfalls which have greatly contributed to the loss of revenue.

“The government has been losing ports revenue due to poor infrastructure but, if our ports could have systems with international standards, such loss could have been contained,” he observed.

He, however, directed that stringent action be taken against port officials who were mentioned in the report for blessing the installation of sub-standard infrastructure at the port.

Prof Mbarawa said that warning letters should not be part of the disciplinary measures since the officials have caused the government to suffer a loss of billions of money. “I am warning you; I would not like to hear that these people have only been served with warning letters.

You should transfer them to other ports in the peripherals,” he said. He further noted that the country’s economic growth can be promoted by having a better ports’ infrastructure.

He explained that the improvement of TPA infrastructures should include all major ports; namely Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Tanga, Kigoma, Mwanza - and all other ports under the authority.

“The board should make sure that it set out plans for the construction of a good infrastructure at our ports to meet the current demand,” Prof Mbarawa said. Prof Mbarawa, however, challenged TPA to establish marketing unit to attract more traders to use the Dar es Salaam Port.

He said cargo volume at the port has continued to decline as traders have opted to use the Durban Port in South Africa and Namibian ports because TPA lacked marketing strategies for its ports. “How can you survive in this competitive market without marketing your ports,” Prof Mbarawa queried.

The minister further tasked the board to split up a network of port officials who work for their own interests thus affecting the ports’ efficiency. “Some TPA officials have been using their own companies to provide services at the port while others have been employing their relatives or friends.

Such acts have adversely impacted on the performance on our ports,” he observed. Prof Mbarawa vowed to ensure that all TPA officials who were transferred to the ministry are not assigned to work with the authority again as they may strengthen their network, which has been an obstacle to the development of the ports.

On the flow meters at the Kurasini Oil Jetty (KOJ), which have been out of function for some time, the minister directed the board to ensure that the meters are repaired or also they should purchase new ones to enable the government to earn revenue.

For his part, TPA Board Chairman, Professor Ignas Rubalatuka, promised to work hard with high integrity to improve the performance of the ports.

“I will make sure that all directives given to the board are implemented as issued by the minister,” he said.

The TPA board is formed by nine members namely, Jeffeer Mchano, Tanzania Investment Bank Director for Planning and Service, Engineer Deusdedit Kakoko, Tanzania National Roads Agency Projects Manager, Malata Pascal, Assistant Director, Division of Litigation and Arbitration and Dr Jabir Bakari from the Government Network Agency, President’s Office, Public Service and Good Governance.

Others are Masanja Kadogosa, Acting Director General of Tanzania Railway Limited, Azizi Kilonge, Executive Director, AM Consulting, Dr Francis Michael, Senior Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam and Jayne Nyimbo, Human Resources Expert at Carteck Tanzania. In December, last year, President John Magufuli relieved Dr Shaaban Mwinjaka of his duties as Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Transport and dissolved the Board of Directors of TPA.

He has also revoked the appointment of the board’s chair, Professor Joseph Msambichaka and the authority’s Director General, Mr Awadhi Massawe. The move followed a visit by Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa.

The prime minister told reporters that President Magufuli has dissolved the board and revoked appointments of the leaders on grounds of ‘very poor performance’ at the authority’s echelons of power and management’s inaction in the wake of scandals at the country’s major port.