IN a quest to increase efficiency and fast tracking clearance of cargo at the Dar es Salaam Port, the government has instructed Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to start working 24 hours and seven days a week, including public holidays.
The Minister for Transport, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, said that TRA should get prepared for the new working schedule in order to speed up documentation processes that, otherwise remain dormant during the weekends and public holidays when offices remain closed.
He was speaking as he accompanied the Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Delivery Bureau (PDB), Mr Omary Issa, who made a familiarisation tour at the Port as well as to the Tanzania Road Haulage (TRH) Inland Container Depot.
Insisting in a mood that showed the matter has been already discussed within other higher government circles; Dr Mwakyembe said the new TRA work arrangement at the Port will be known within a week.
“TRA should see to it that operations and documents are processed and released every day to make sure there is no delay in clearance of cargo as is the case today.
They are already receiving handsome packages so they work in a flexible schedule,” he said. He ordered TPA to prepare weekly report on the performance of all Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and asked them to stop charging their customers during the days their cargo is not moved -- especially during the weekends and public holidays.
Making a brief presentation on the port operations, the Port Manager, Mr Awadh Massawe, said despite the existing challenges, clearance of cargo has been improving particularly for the last 18 months, where 12.5 million tonnes were offloaded compared to 10.9 million tonnes the same period before.
He said that the port was still serving six landlocked countries using its services well. He added that if services keep improving more countries can develop interest of using the port. He mentioned Zimbabwe which has started using the port to transport its cargo.
Mr Awadh made a special call for the authorities to see to it that TRA and commercial banks are working 24 hours and seven days a week to facilitate speedy documentation and financial transactions for fast movement of cargo.
Early this year, Minister, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe and Trade and Industries Minister, Dr Abdallah Kigoda ordered that all Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), work 24 hours a day to avoid unnecessary delays of cargo and costs to customers using TPA’s services.
The Minister for Finance, Dr William Mgimwa has been quoted admitting that delay of cargo at the Dar es Salaam Port was caused by, among others, improper coordination between the TRA and TPA. He challenged the two authorities to convene an emergency meeting to see how they can avoid the situation.
Post a Comment