TPA's Acting Director General, Awadh Massawe
The banking sector in the country has been urged to offer 24hours weekly service for customers at the Dar es Salaam port. Stakeholders say the move facilitate to clear backlog of customers using the port on time and therefore increase efficiency.
The appeal was given by port stakeholders during their meeting that was held in Dar es Salaam recently.
“Since the port of Dar es Salaam operates 24 hours a day, stakeholders want the banking sector to operate the same way to make it easy for customers to clear their cargo faster since a lot of payments are made through the banking system,” they said.
“Matching the port’s speed is all what stakeholders request the banks to do,” acting Director General, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Awadh Massawe said when reading the meeting’s resolutions.
Massawe who is also the chairperson of the stakeholders meetings said should step be taken, customers in need of banking services will be able to do so on time and thus clear their cargo on time, hence bringing the much needed competitiveness.
Payments for both domestic and transit cargo are done through banks.
However, all most all banks operate up to 4pm to 6 pm, something port stakeholders say contribute to difficulties in clearing cargo from the port.
Stakeholders agreed to invite BoT officials and representatives of all banks operating in Tanzania to discuss how they can affect the suggestion during the next meeting.
The meeting also selected the President of Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA), Stephene Ngatunga the vice chairperson of the port’s stakeholders meetings.
There is a secretariat which will make follow up on agreed matters and make sure that they are implemented on time. The secretariat is made up of members from TPA and port’s stakeholders.
The vice chairperson of Tanzania Truck Owners Association (TATOA), Elias Lukumay stressed on the need to put into actions all agreed things at the meetings for the interest of clients and nation at large.
“It is when our port will be competitive that will attract more clients from neighbouring countries,” he noted.
He cautioned that Tanzania is in competition with several countries with ports and that users will always follow best services.
Dar port also serves seven landlocked countries including DRC, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Some of stakeholders at the meeting were representatives from Tanzania Shipping Agency Association, Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA), Container Inland Deport Association of Tanzania, shipping lines, Car freight owners, and Terminal operators.
Others were government departments and institutions including TRA and police force.
TPA management and port’s stakeholders have agreed to meet every last Thursday of the month to discuss various matters geared toward strengthening TPA services.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
