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Revoke TICS contract
2008-04-14 09:33:22
By Editor
Dar es Salaam port is one of Tanzania`s major economic lifelines.
As a country, the seaport serves us by allowing in and facilitating the exit of bulky merchandise of diverse sorts, and not only that, in the process, the harbour generates a lot of revenue that enables the government to finance requirements of the people.
At one time, Dar es Salaam port remitted so much money to the government than any other institution, and that was a few years before its operations were leased to private operators.
We look at Dar es Salaam port as one of the major economic power houses of the country.
In addition, we regard it as one of the lifelines of neighbouring countries.
The significance of Dar es Salaam port should therefore be viewed from both perspectives.
Historically speaking, the independence of the whole of Southern Africa would not have been possible without the existence of Dar es Salaam port.
Whether people like it or not, we still remember the big role played by the major seaport in facilitating the outward movement of Zambia`s copper and other minerals through Tazara railway, at a time of apartheid and colonial Southern Africa, whose regimes wanted to strangle Zambia economically, because it hosted military bases of the liberation movements.
In spite of the good job done by the port authority as mentioned above, the seaport needs to be modernized so that it efficiently caters for a liberalized and diverse internal economy.
Secondly, we want the port to be transformed so that it can withstand competition due to the fact that our neighbours, who were traditionally served only by our seaport, now have other alternative centres for receiving imports and exporting their goods, at times more cheaply.
For this reason, the modernization of Dar es Salaam port should take into account the aspect of competitiveness by being more efficient and attractive to users who have other alternatives at their disposal.
One the major tasks is container handling. If Tanzania really wants to reap the full benefits of its economic power house, all contracts concerning the seaport must be seriously scrutinized so as to protect national interests, and those interests are seeing to it that the harbour remains viable, that the wananchi get their rightful shares of its transactions through the government budget.
Sad to say, the Auditor General has raised very serious concerns over the Tanzania International Container Terminal lease contract.
If it is really true that the transactions concerning the major economic power house have been mishandled to the extent pointed out by the Controller and Auditor General, then the whole issue is a source of major concern to all Tanzanians who have their country at heart.
The truth is that we cannot expect sustainable meaningful development if major economic centres are being tampered with with impunity.
We have to reach a point whereby all the issues raised by the CAG on the TICS lease contract are thoroughly investigated and resolved, otherwise the people will reach a point of asking whom the relevant authorities are serving.
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