PRESIDENT John Magufuli yesterday reaffirmed his willpower to acquire additional four aircrafts in efforts to introduce tourism supporting direct international flights.
Dr Magufuli, in his talks with Boeing’s
Director of Sales Jim Deboo, said the government wants to buy three
long-range aircrafts out of the envisaged four, adding that his
administration was determined to acquire large planes from the US
airplane manufacturer.
“We receive hardly two million tourists
annually in Tanzania against other countries like Morocco that get over
12 million back-packers and this is mainly because we lack a vibrant
national carrier to transport tourists directly from their countries.
Tanzania is among the five countries
globally with attractive tourist attractions and yet tourists are forced
to make flight connections through other countries before arriving
here,” Dr Magufuli noted, regrettably.
The president explained further that the
government plans to acquire one Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 NextGen
aircraft,which is expected to arrive by next June as well as two
Bombardiers CS300 with capacity of between 137 and 150 passengers, which
are set for delivery between May and June, 2018.
He as well revealed plans to purchase
one 262-seater Boeing 787 Dash 8 Dream Liner whose delivery is expected
in June 2018, stating further that initial payments for the aircrafts
have already been effected.
The president hinted that the recent
acquisition of two new aircrafts by the government has considerably
reduced fares in the aviation transport.
President Magufuli was on the other hand
irked by some Tanzanians fond of belittling efforts made to revamp the
national carrier while are full of praises for foreign airlines. “A
person travelling from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza today is paying between
160,000/- and 200,000/- against the past fares that had surged to over
800,000/- on the route...yet, we still have prophets of doom belittling
our efforts,” charged Dr Magufuli.
Present at the State House held meeting
were Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning Doto
James and his Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications
counterpart Dr Leonard Chamriho.
Meanwhile, Dr Magufuli yesterday met and
bade farewell to Resident Representative of the African Development
Bank (AfDB) in Tanzania Tonia Kandiero who has been promoted to AfDB
Director General, Southern Africa region.
President Magufuli appreciated the
outgoing Resident Representative of the continental development bank for
her efforts in spearheading execution of major development projects in
the country, some of which are still under implementation. Dr Kandiero
thanked the president and his government for the cooperation accorded to
her during the six year period she worked in the country.
“I am leaving Tanzania at the time of
strengthened relations with the bank...projects worth two billion US
dollars have been implemented, particularly in road network,” Dr
Kandiero said.
In another development, President
Magufuli yesterday bade farewell to Cuban Ambassador in Tanzania Jorge
Luis Lopez Tormo whose four-year service term in the country has ended.
Dr Magufuli thanked the outgoing Cuban
envoy for his role in cementing the cordial bi-lateral relations between
the two countries.
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