AfricaPress-Tanzania: MEMBERS of the steering committee for the implementation of Mkulazi Sugar Estate have two weeks to complete road construction and power installation at the project site to enable it begin sugar production in the given time framework.
This instruction was issued yesterday by the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy Coordination, Parliamentary Affairs, Youth and Employment), Jenista Mhagama, during an inspection visit of the sugar project at farm No 217 at Mkulazi, Morogoro rural district.
The committee’s delay in solving the power and roads challenge also delays sugar production at the factory, which has the capacity to produce 200,000 tons of sugar per year, she stated
“Nothing has been done following decisions made in November last year. Before the end of this month (March) I want to see road construction equipment in place and answers as to when power installation will start, as this is a strategic project,” she told the steering committee.
The project board chairperson, Dr Hildelitha Msita said power installation was a big challenge as it involves agreement with the power utility, Tanesco, on the cost of installing power transmission lines “as the work was not included in Tanesco’s budget.”
The board had reached an agreement with the power utility to construct the 3km transmission line, where the board will provide funds which Tanesco will pay for the construction cost and recover the same from the factory’s power bills when it starts operating, she explained.
Project manager Abdul Mwankemwa said poor road infrastructures leading to the Mkulazi farm has affected farming equipment, impeding sugar cane cultivation.
The project management had completed feasibility studies for the 42km road, issued a report for the Ministry of Works and Transport to take up its construction.
Clearing of the project’s 250-hectare block has begun, with 80 hectares already completed, while research conducted on the soil showed that around 6,103 hectares of the Mkulazi farm, out of 28,000 hectares was fit for sugar cane cultivation.
Mkulazi Holding Company was established in 2016 for initiating small sugar factories to fill the gap of 250,009 tons of sugar annually in the country’s sugar needs as a whole.
