Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA Ports Authority (TPA) in the Lake Zone has reduced embarking and disembarking fees by 33.3 per cent effective from last week.
Initially, embarking and disembarking fee was charged 600/- per person, but with new arrangement they are now charged 400/- each.
Lake Zone’s Port Manager Vicent Stephen told the Kanyara port users in Buchosa Council of Sengerema District, over the weekend that the deduction is applied in all ports in Lake Zone and Great Lakes.
“This deduction is something that has never happened in our country. In the past, the fees had been reduced but not to this extent. You can therefore, see how the six-phase government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan values and takes care of its people,” said Mr Stephen.
Similarly, he added, the passengers will be paying for cargo whose weight exceeds 21 kilogrammes.
He told all port users to bear in mind that paying fees was important since earned revenue is allocated to implementation of various development projects.
Commenting, Buchosa Member of Parliament Eric Shigongo echoed that the revenue collection helps to bring improvements in social services, such as health, water and education.
However, he pledged more efforts to bring development for the constituency, adding that the government has already disbursed about 2.5bn/- for the construction of road infrastructures, including the Nyakarilo-Lushamba and Kalebezo-Sukuma roads.
“This is the first time for this is road being tarmacked and I have already requested funds for installation of traffic lights,” he said.
Mr Shigongo asked other leaders, including Ward Councilors to make good use of funds that have been offered for development projects, including the recently released 200m/- for classrooms construction in Bulyaheke Ward.
Commenting on the deduction, the residents including Ms Ephrasi Misana, expressed their gratitude to the government and requested for the availability of reliable ferry boats at Kanyara port.
Currently, people depend on private boats as means of transport, whose fees are unpredictable, according to Ms Misana.
“Again, our lives and properties are always at risk due to using unsafe means of transport. When storm hits a boat in the middle of journey, boat operators are forced to throw some of our cargoes in water to reduce weight so that the boat doesn’t sink,” she said.
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