Madeni Kipande, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) acting Director General
He has appointed Port Manager Awadhi Massawe in-charge of the authority’s operations.
Speaking to journalists at TPA headquarters in Dar es Salaam
yesterday, Sitta said Kipande’s suspension provides room for
investigations on various allegations leveled against him.
According to the minister, there have been complaints about lack
of transparency, inconsistency in procurement procedures, poor
relationships with stakeholders and workers.
“We decided to convene an emergency TPA board meeting following
complaints from different departments about the authority’s procurement
system…former predecessor, minister Dr Harrison Mwakyembe had begun to
tackle on problems which have been facing the authority to no avail,”
said Sitta.
He elaborated that TPA is the country’s core revenue generator - 87
per cent of the revenue comes from the ports. He said that employees
must be diligent and faithful towards work.
He noted that unnecessary delays in approving tenders which have
been endorsed by the tender board tarnished the image of the government.
“I am suspending Eng Kipande until the probe team completes investigations on all the allegations,” he said.
Sitta mentioned members of the probe team as, retired Judge Augusta
Bubeshi from his ministry who will be the chairman assisted by
Deogratius Kasinda (secretary).
Others are Ramadhan Mlingwa, Eng Samson Luhigo, Happiness Senkoro and Flavian Kinundo.
On August 24, 2012, the then Transport Minister Dr Harrison
Mwakyembe suspended the then Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) Director
General Ephraim Mgawe and five other senior TPA officials pending
investigations into various allegations, including corruption and theft
at Dar es Salaam Port.
Dr Mwakyembe immediately appointed Eng Madeni Kipande from the Ministry of Works acting TPA Director General.
Mwakyembe said the decision to suspend the officials was reached at a meeting of the authority’s board held in his office.
He mentioned the positions of other TPA officials who were
suspended as two deputy directors, Dar Port Manager, Kurasini Oil Jetty
(KOJ) Manager and Oil Engineer.
On January 22, 2013, Mgawe and four other senior officials were
relieved of duties as recommended by a board committee formed to probe
abuse of official capacity.
Among others the managers were suspended over allegation of theft of oil and containers at the Dar es Salaam Port.
On July 14, Mgawe was charged with abuse of office. Mgawe was
charged along with his former deputy, Hamad Koshuma, who was in charge
of port services.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC)
Chairperson Zitto Kabwe, has said there is need for the country to
construct good railways as well as pipelines to transport cargo and oil
to upcountry. This, he said, would reduce congestion at the Dar es
Salaam Port as well increasing the nation’s revenue.
Zitto said this yesterday when his committee visited the port.
In addition he said there is also the need to construct big oil
reservoirs that would accommodate more oil before it was supplied to
various companies.
Zitto said that the need comes as there is a big flow of ships at
the port which spend many hours due to lack of such tanks, good railway
and pipelines for quick operations.
“We conducted a tour at Mombasa port in Kenya and we witnessed how
they are doing their operations. There are pipelines to transport oil
to various regions. This increases their revenues a lot,” he said
For his part, Dar es Salaam Port Manager Awadh Massawe who is now
Acting Director General said that they are doing all they can to
improve port operations.
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment