AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has instructed Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to strengthen supervision of flow meters for imported fuel in order to prevent the loss of revenues.
He said the government wants to see that all revenue from ports in the country collected by TPA goes to the Consolidated Fund, cautioning officials who may be involved in losses of revenue funds.
He issued the instructions yesterday after inspecting the flow meters station at Kigamboni and Kurasini Oil Jetty (KOJ) at the port of Dar es Salaam.
He said he was satisfied with the implementation of various directives he issued at different times since 2016 when he visited the area, pointing out that the technology that was then being applied was not advanced.
It made the government lose substantial revenues, hence the government decided to purchase new flow meters for the Kigamboni oil jetty, be said.
The fifth phase government continues to purchase flow meters in order to improve the oil import sector for Dar es Salaam, Tanga and Mtwara ports, he said.
“Today I have come to verify the situation we have reached and I am satisfied with what has been implemented,” he declared.
After seeing the measurement method to be incorrect the government decided to buy land plots in Kigamboni to build tanks that would receive oil from the port, he recalled.
Apart from having passed through the flow meters, it will again be verified before reaching retailers to ensure they get the right quantity of oil they demand, he said.
“I am pleased to receive reports that the land plots were purchased and now tenders for erecting oil tanks are being processed, and when we finalise that measure, the nation will greatly benefit by having huge quantities of fuel in its reserves,” he said.
The tanks will also provide opportunities for neighbouring countries that use Dar es Salaam port to keep their fuel there, enabling the port to conduct oil trade within and outside the country, he pointed out.
He urged TPA to strengthen the supervision of flow meters and establish a unit to manage oil flows in all ports, with officials of such department being directly accountable for its proper management.
Earlier, the TPA engineer for oil flows, Yona Malago briefed the premier on the steps taken to offload oil through the Kigamboni flow meter.
Earlier the flow meter operated without stopping and later major repairs were conducted to the flow meter system including adjusting its strainers, he said.
