Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa expressed the commitment when speaking to transportation stakeholders who attended the launch of digital data base for truck drivers in the country prepared by the Tanzania Trucks Owners Association (TATOA).
The Premier said the government is determined to ensure to all regions’ headquarters are linked with tarmac roads to fast track economic growth and smoothen trucks operations in the country.
According to the Prime Minister, other measures being instituted to smoothen transport is to ensure all southern, central and northern corridors heading to neighbouring countries including Kenya, DR Congo, Malawi and Zambia are passable without difficulties. Majaliwa said the government has completed construction of 2,183.82 kilometres of tarmac roads and 14,348 others to the gravel level. According to PM, the government has been rehabilitating various roads to make them passable throughout the year. Mr Majaliwa said expansion and improvement of roads and ports have significantly contributed to an increase in amount of cargo entering the country through ports by an average of 18 per cent in three consecutive years, from 18 million tonnes in 2020/2021 Fiscal Year to about 25 million tonnes in 2022/2023. He said delays at the Dar es Salaam Port has been reduced from 14 days to six days.
Majaliwa said 95 per cent of all the cargo is transported to the final destinations overland by trucks. In that regard, Mr Majaliwa appreciated TATOA’s role in creating jobs and revenue payment, creation of foreign currency, development of business and economic growth.
He further said that the government is proceeding with construction of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), renovation of the Metre Gauge Railway (MGR) and expansion of lake ports in Lake Victoria, Nyasa and Tanganyika.
“All these improvements do not aim to freeze trucks operations because expansion of our ports will increase cargo volume and the ferrying of all cargo to the final destinations will be done by you,” he said.
Mr Majaliwa further commented TATOA leaders for cherishing technological advancement by improving efficiency through appropriate data storage and usage. He said the TATOA digital data system comes at right time when there is an increase in cargo volume that demand digital assisted monitoring and coordination.