Africa-Press – Tanzania. AS government vows to throw its weight on infrastructure improvement as the heart of economic growth, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has pledged to rescue the national carrier – ATCL.
The president told the nation in an address to the National Assembly in Dodoma that while a lot has been done in that front in the last five or so years, there will be more thrust in the Sixth Phase Government.
She pledged that the government will strategically take care of Air Tanzania Company Limited so that at the end of the day, it operates profitably. As of now, she said, the national ATCL reads as a deficit that emanated from huge debts it inherited.
To be looked at are the debts and charges subjected to ATCL by taking some off its shoulders.
President Samia noted that the government will ensure ATCL stands firm again, by getting rid of everything that has no productivity in its operations from time to time.
The government will be investing on capable human resource as it moves to engage in thorough evaluation of the company and make sure that it is put under and run by competent professionals in the field of air transport.
Also on the cards are strategies to complete construction and refurbishment of airports, including construction of the new Msalato Airport in the nation’s administrative capital of Dodoma.
President Samia laid emphasis on infrastructure as the cornerstone to economic growth and pledged construction, improvement and refurbishment of tarmac roads and major bridges to link the whole nation.
Some of the bridges are Kigongo- Busisi, Wami, Tanzanite and Pangani. As for ports, improvements and widening will be done at Dar es Salaam, Kigoma and Mtwara in accordance with the ruling party CCM Election Manifesto 2020- 2021.
President Samia spoke of continued plans in completing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Dar es Salaam -Morogoro- Dodoma and later all the way through the planned lots.
She talked of revival of railway transport and transportation from Dar es Salaam-Tanga- Moshi to Arusha and that more construction will be done to link other parts of the country.
Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) will be improved while there will be refurbishment of ferry wagon on Lake Victoria, Mv Liemba on Lake Tanganyika while on the same lake a new ship will be built.
As for the Information Technology sub-sector, President Samia pledged to improve broadband, increase internet users and ensure more people access telephone services countrywide.
To be enhanced also is communication security and the associated technologies.
