TANZANIA PORTS AUTHORITY’S EFFICIENCY HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED REVENUE COLLECTION

COMMISSIONER MWENDA

The Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Mr. Yusuph Mwenda, has stated that the investments made in the Port of Dar es Salaam by DP World and ADANI have significantly contributed to the increase in revenue over the past five months.

During a visit by the Permanent Budget Committee of Parliament to the Port to observe ongoing activities, the Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority, Yusuph Mwenda, stated that the improvement in the efficiency of cargo clearance at the Port has led to an increase in Government’s revenue.

Commissioner Mwenda, has also stated that, since the approval of the Government Budget for the fiscal year 2024/2025, there has been a significant increase in tax collections each month, reaching 105 percent, which has set a new record.

The Commissioner General added that, the investment and presence of DP World and ADANI at the port are related to the management of the port; however, all revenues are collected by the TRA, which is responsible for issuing clearance for cargo to leave the port once the necessary procedures have been completed.

“The presence of DP World and ADANI at the port has reduced the waiting time for vessels to unload cargo from 37-25 days to now just 4-5 days. The government is making efforts to ensure that no ship is left waiting to discharge its cargo”, stated Commissioner Mwenda.

The Company Manager of DP World, Mr. Elitunu Malamia, has stated that they serve Berths 1 to 7 for general cargo, commonly referred to as Kichere, as well as vehicles destined for neighboring East African countries, with some also being utilized domestically.

Malamia has stated that, the speed at which they are handling cargo has significantly increased by 20 percent, and they have the capacity to manage up to 800 containers within a 24-hour period. Additionally, she has requested an increase in the number of berths for unloading cargo.

The new Managing Director of ADANI, Mr. Donald Talawa, has stated that they handle container cargo and utilize Berths 8 to 11. He noted that they have significantly increased efficiency and the speed of cargo clearance, with an expectation to service 77,000 containers in the month of December alone.

Regarding the Members of Parliament, the Chairperson of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Budget, Hon. Oran Njeza, stated that the Committee did not anticipate encountering such significant work at the levels they found. He commended the investors from DP World and ADANI for enhancing efficiency and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) for increasing revenue collections.