AfricaPress-Tanzania: CHADEMA presidential candidate, Tundu Lissu has pledged to fully utilise oil and natural gas resources available in Mtwara and Lindi regions to transform the areas into economic giants, if voted as the president in the October General Election.
He said Tanzania has been labouring in exploration of the natural gas for more than 50 years, and it was now time to start getting its benefits.
The first natural gas discovery in Tanzania was made in 1974 on the Songo Songo Island (Lindi Region) followed by a second discovery at the Mnazi Bay (Mtwara Region) in 1982.
Natural gas was discovered both off and onshore at the Songo Songo Island, while the gas discovery at Mnazi Bay at the offshore. The natural gas from Songo Songo was first commercialized in 2004 and the gas from Mnazi Bay in 2006.
The commercialisation of the two discoveries propelled further gas exploration both onshore and offshore and from 2010, Tanzania has witnessed further exploration and natural gas discoveries.
With this background, while addressing a public rally at Sabasaba Grounds in Mtwara on Sunday, Mr Lissu vowed to ensure that revenues generated from the oil and gas extraction benefit the ‘wananchi’ in those two regions.
“I will make sure all the activities on gas and oil productions are conducted in here in order to ensure that you people of Mtwara and Lindi become first to benefit from them,” he said as he continued with party’s presidential campaigns in Southern regions.
Equally, he told them that there would be a plan to direct all the activities involved in the production of the gas centralized in Mtwara and Lindi to enable the residents directly first benefit from them.
Mr Lissu said any revenue(s) that would be generated from the extraction of the gas and oil would be directly used to transform the people’s social and economic lives.
Elaborating, Mr Lissu further said that he would make sure cashew nuts prices are increased to ensure farmers benefits from their agricultural activities.
“Chadema government will make sure farmers are free to sell their products anywhere in the country and even outside at any price they would deem right for them,” he said.
In his further vote wooing, he urged them to vote for his party and enable him to work on their pledges with their support, adding: “I call upon you (wananchi) in Mtwara and Lindi to vote for us Chadema to power to enable address your challenges especially in the gas and oil sector.”
