AfricaPress-Tanzania: TWO regulatory authorities have signed an agreement that is expected to address fuel tankers accidents, which have been claiming hundreds of lives of Tanzanians.
Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) and Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) on Monday signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Dar es Salaam that among others will strengthen control on fuel tankers Ewura, LATRA team to curb tanker’s accidents and drivers.
Whereas control of the tankers would be checking the condition of the trucks, control of drivers would mean also registering and certifying only qualified drivers.
During the signing ceremony, the two authorities mutually noted that the document has put in place good arrangements that will separate duties for them on how to regulate quantity and quality of fuel and transportation.
LATRA’s Director General Gilliard Ngewe said the agreement will strengthen cooperation between the two regulators and set lines to separate their duties.
“Initially, we were unable to work jointly because of lack of special arrangements, but this agreement will guide us on how to work together,” Mr Ngewe stated.
However, he pointed out the challenge of ramshackle fuel tankers that continues to exist in the transportation of petroleum products, saying: “We have lost many people because of those trucks. With this new agreement we are going to remove all defect trucks in order to protect people’s lives and properties. The latest most deadly fuel tanker accident occurred in Morogoro region last year, where over 80 people lost their lives. That was after a fuel tanker exploded in the area only for the locals to rush to the spot to siphon out leaking petrol. Bodies were burnt beyond recognition, forcing the government to apply DNA tests to identify them for burial purposes. Commenting, EWURA’s chairman of the board of directors, Ahmed Kilima, said the pact was a catalyst in improving quality of goods and services offered by the fuel tankers as well as ensuring safety of people and their properties
