AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), has said their recent decision to open gas filling stations in every region does not mean to jeopardise the private sector.
TPDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr James Mataragio, speaking at an event in which TPDC issued a 128.9m/-compensation cheque to 19 Nzinje villagers who relocated to pave the way for the construction of an oil and natural gas storage facility recently, said they were playing their commercial role and not otherwise.
He said they wanted to bring services close to the community especially those in rural areas so that as the national oil company they should meet the target.
Dr Mataragio said it was not a new thing for the national oil company to run gas filling stations as it was the case in Angola, Brazil and Mexico, among others.
He said under the project they would start with the construction of 100 gasoline filling stations countrywide and the number would increase as days passed by.
“Most of the gasoline filling stations in the country are located in urban areas. We want to give the rural community a chance too as a state oil company. Rural dwellers deserve services close to them,” he insisted.
He said the private sector should not be worried about TPDC’s involvement in the oil business as they were regulated by industry regulators like Ewura whereas the rules of the game would be adhered to.
“We are mandated to do what we are doing by the Act that establishes TPDC, but we have not been doing so and now with the technological and industrial economy drive, we find it ideal as reliable oil and energy is key to the growth of the sector,” said Dr Mataragio.
During the event, TPDC handed over a 128.9m/-dummy cheque to Dodoma District Commissioner (DC), Patrobas Katambi as compensation to Zinje villagers, thus paving the way for the national oil company to start the construction of oil and natural gas storage facilities that would save the Central Zone.
Dr Mataragio said the move was in line with their task to bring services close to people. He said the storage facility to be constructed adjacent to the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) was meant to ensure there was enough reserve as well as serve neighbouring regions.
“We will have infrastructure whereas oil and natural gas reserve tanks will be filled with products that will be transported from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma through the SGR,” said Dr Mataragio.
He commended the villagers for their willingness to pave the way for the construction of the storage facility as it had great socioeconomic benefits for the nation and their improved social welfare.
Dr Mataragio said they would work closely with the villagers near the project as they were key partners to make the whole project a success.
For his part, Mr Katambi called on the villagers to be watchdogs and ensure there was no sabotage and if any person intended to sabotage the project he or she should be reported immediately.
He also cautioned the villagers to relocate to give room for the implementation of the project and also avoid selling their plots to other people.
The DC insisted that the villagers should take care of the project since they would benefit from it in terms of corporate social responsibility from TPDC.
Earlier, Dodoma Urban MP, who is also Deputy Minister Anthony Mavunde, urged the villagers to use the money to set up investment projects.
“Invest using the money as there are a lot of opportunities, spend the money for your socioeconomic development,” he noted.
Mr Mavunde urged TPDC to engage the community in manual work and other employment opportunities that did not require skills so that they felt as part of the project.
