Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has ordered that construction and rehabilitation of road infrastructures are executed as per agreed standards for the projects to meet the intended purposes in specified timeframe.
The Head of State specifically directed the Works and Transport Ministry and Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) to make follow-ups.
Similarly, the President stressed on the need for the public to protect road infrastructures that cost billions of taxpayers’ money to construct and rehabilitate.
The Head of State issued the directives during the grand opening ceremony for the construction and expansion of the 4.3km stretch of new Bagamoyo Road, phase II between Morocco and Mwenge junction held in Dar es Salaam, yesterday.
She noted that the government will continue to strengthen the Road Fund for all road infrastructure projects and rehabilitation to be executed and completed on time.
Equally, the government will do everything possible to mobilise funds for the construction and rehabilitation of all road infrastructures through TANROADS and Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA).
“As compared to the previous year, this year the government has disbursed a huge budget for TARURA for the implementation of road projects in the rural areas aimed at upgrading rough roads and to ensure that they are passable throughout the year,” noted the President.
Elaborating on vandalism of infrastructures, she urged the people especially Dar es Salaam residents to change their mindset and act patriotically by protecting road infrastructures, whose implementations require huge sums of money.
“There are people who don’t see the importance of protecting these infrastructure…some people have decided to litter the environment ending up blocking the drainage systems.
“During rains, some are opening their drainage systems letting waste to flow in the streets, something which leads to disease outbreaks,” said President Samia, adding that drivers who park on the road sides and leave oil to flow on the road destroy the infrastructures and they should stop the behaviour.
President Samia was of the view that a city like Dar es Salaam has advanced in so many aspects especially infrastructure, and urged the residents to also change their mindset.
She outlined some of the projects which have led to the transformation of the commercial city as the construction of flyovers like the Ubungo and Mfugale, the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP) among many others.
She, however, revealed that currently the government is going to embark on the implementation of the Msimbazi River project as seen fit.
As for the widening of the 4.3km stretch of new Bagamoyo Road, the President noted that the project will ease transport and transportation woes for the people of Dar es Salaam and promote business within the country.
Aside from easing congestion, the project will reduce the number of road traffic accidents, and the President expressed her government’s commitment to continue implementing the infrastructures’ projects to ensure the country’s roads are easily passable.
She conveyed the utmost gratitude for the support given to the country from the government and people of Japan.
“Tanzania is reaffirming its commitment to working very closely with the government of Japan, our cooperation will be heightened from strength to strength,” she said.
Presiding over, the Minister for Works and Transport, Prof Makame Mbarawa, noted that the project has been implemented through the grant support from the government of Japan in its Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) amounting to 71.8bn/-, adding that the government also contributed 8.2bn/- for compensations and instituting various tax exemptions.
For his part, the Japanese Ambassador to Tanzania, Sinichi noted that within 60 years of Tanzania-Japan ties, they have always been committed to supporting the former’s development agenda in various sectors including infrastructure.
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