President Jakaya Kikwete has said more effort is needed to fully tap the country's geographical advantage including Dar es Salaam port services to enhance economic growth.
The president said this on Tuesday during his official tour of the Dar es Salaam port and Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA).
Earlier, Kikwete had visited the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
President Kikwete told Transport Minister Omary Nundu and TPA officials to put extra efforts into the country's leading port, by building two more wharves to increase capacity.
Underlining the importance of the resource to the country's economy, President Kikwete said he was also impressed with the improvement of TPA's working equipment and environment, adding that it had even surpassed the agricultural sector.
He called on the Transport minister to start preparations to expand Mtwara port in the coming five or ten years.
"Mtwara Port will be a major gateway of Tanzanian products to neighbouring markets. We expect to construct gas, fertilisers, cement and paper industries whose products will mainly be exported through this port," the president said.
He also urged the ministry responsible to make preparations for the port to efficiently handle increased traffic of goods after the government completes construction of the new railway from Dar es Salaam to Isaka in Shinyanga.
He said the new line will cross the border to Kigali in Rwanda and Msongati in Burundi.
While at the Treasury, he said that it was important for the ministry to make sure that civil servants' salary and other arrears are paid on time.
He said there should be a special system to provide loans to civil servants as is the case for the Members of Parliament.
The President said that it was interesting to learn that Tanzania is at the moment creditworthy, which was not the case in the recent past. He told the Treasury to be careful in borrowing to avoid the problems that landed Tanzania into the debt trap.
Kikwete on Tuesday directed Finance Minister Mustapha Mkulo to take measures to reduce inflation and improve revenue collection which is below the set target by eight per cent.
He also directed the employment of a Deputy Controller and Auditor General to monitor the use of public funds at local governments level in a bid to curb embezzlement.
He urged the ministry in collaboration with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to look into the possibility of cutting taxes on some products so as to lower their prices thus reduce poverty and improve per capita income.
Kikwete told the Treasury to draw up better policies to help TRA operate smoothly and collect more revenues, than was the case now. Currently, collections are below the target by eight per cent.
He said that in December last year, TRA surpassed target whereby it collected 584bn/- but in January this year, the revenues dropped to 420bn/-.
The president said this on Tuesday during his official tour of the Dar es Salaam port and Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA).
Earlier, Kikwete had visited the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).
President Kikwete told Transport Minister Omary Nundu and TPA officials to put extra efforts into the country's leading port, by building two more wharves to increase capacity.
Underlining the importance of the resource to the country's economy, President Kikwete said he was also impressed with the improvement of TPA's working equipment and environment, adding that it had even surpassed the agricultural sector.
He called on the Transport minister to start preparations to expand Mtwara port in the coming five or ten years.
"Mtwara Port will be a major gateway of Tanzanian products to neighbouring markets. We expect to construct gas, fertilisers, cement and paper industries whose products will mainly be exported through this port," the president said.
He also urged the ministry responsible to make preparations for the port to efficiently handle increased traffic of goods after the government completes construction of the new railway from Dar es Salaam to Isaka in Shinyanga.
He said the new line will cross the border to Kigali in Rwanda and Msongati in Burundi.
While at the Treasury, he said that it was important for the ministry to make sure that civil servants' salary and other arrears are paid on time.
He said there should be a special system to provide loans to civil servants as is the case for the Members of Parliament.
The President said that it was interesting to learn that Tanzania is at the moment creditworthy, which was not the case in the recent past. He told the Treasury to be careful in borrowing to avoid the problems that landed Tanzania into the debt trap.
Kikwete on Tuesday directed Finance Minister Mustapha Mkulo to take measures to reduce inflation and improve revenue collection which is below the set target by eight per cent.
He also directed the employment of a Deputy Controller and Auditor General to monitor the use of public funds at local governments level in a bid to curb embezzlement.
He urged the ministry in collaboration with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to look into the possibility of cutting taxes on some products so as to lower their prices thus reduce poverty and improve per capita income.
Kikwete told the Treasury to draw up better policies to help TRA operate smoothly and collect more revenues, than was the case now. Currently, collections are below the target by eight per cent.
He said that in December last year, TRA surpassed target whereby it collected 584bn/- but in January this year, the revenues dropped to 420bn/-.
