DAILY NEWS Reporter
THE government is reaping dividends from formalisation of unofficial ports in Tanga Region, through enhanced revenue collection and anti-smuggling.
According to Tanga Port Manager Masoud Mrisha, besides Pangani Port, the three ports of Kipumbwi, Mkwaja and Sahare were officially formalised in the last parliamentary budget session.
He said plans are underway for the authority to set up important infrastructure in all ports which have been formalised in the region in order to improve their performance.
Port officer at Kipumbwi in Pangani District, Ulenga Ndaro said that the formalisation of the port has increased efficiency in revenue collection and control smuggling of goods.
He said that before the port was formalised, its operations were under Kipumbwi Village, thus the government could not earn its fair revenue because the collections ended up in the village.
Mr Ndaro said the port was formalised after learning that a large cargo is passing through the port and the government is losing a lot of revenue through smuggling.
“Despite the challenges of infrastructure, Kipumbwi port comes second in revenue collection after Tanga port,” Mr Ndaro said.
Mr Ndaro said that Kipumbwi port imports various goods from Unguja such as home appliances and exports charcoal, furniture and a few crops such as coconut and fruits.
He said on average, the port earns between 8m/- and 12m/- per month as charges of imported and exported goods handled at the port.
Mr Ndaro further detailed that in January this year, the port exported 2,020 tonnes of goods, fetching 11.1m/- in revenues and imported 72 tonnes of goods which earned the port 379,416/-.
He said in December last year, the port earned 8.2m/- after exporting 1,498 tonnes while it imported 35 tonnes, which generated 191,730/- in revenues. In November the exports and imports were 1,372 tonnes and 41 tonnes respectively, earning the port 7.5m/- and 224,598/- respectively.
For his part, Pangani Port Officer Robert Edward said that his port exports mainly food crops such as cassava, oranges, coconut and forest produce such as timber, while it imports home appliances and furniture from Zanzibar.
Mr Edward said that Pangani Port revenue depends mainly from exports of food crops to Zanzibar.
He said that between July last year and January this year the port has collected 50.1m/- revenue.
Mr Edward detailed that in July 2022 the port collected 8.7m/-, August 8.1m/-, September 8.2m/- October 7.1, November 6.5m/-.
He said in average the port can export between 60 tonnes and 170 tonnes per day and between 350 tonnes and 450 tonnes per week.
Mr Edward, further said besides formalising the port, there was also a need of educating the public and business community in general on the importance of using official ports in transporting their goods.
For his part, Boniphace Mwangulube, Port Officer at Mkwaja said that the port mainly exports livestock, charcoal and food crops to Zanzibar.
He said that before the port was formalised, there were illegal businesses which were conducted through the port but the move has helped a lot to fight smuggling.
Mwangulube said before formalisation goods such as edible oil, tiger batteries which are not allowed in Mainland were passing through the port as well as illicit drugs.
He said since the port was formalised the government is now getting revenue through the cargo passing at the port and the surrounding communities are also benefiting from employment among others.
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