As the Fifth Phase Government gears on building an industrial driven-economy, there is need for improving infrastructure to enable business activities to take place in ideal environments.

 

Among important areas that boost country's economy include active and fully operational ports, reliable roads, railways and many others. In recognition of such factors, the government has been setting strategies to ensure there is a good environment of doing business that could enable traders, the public and all other stakeholders to do profitable businesses. Last week, President John Magufuli officially inaugurated the operations of the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

 

The multi-billion project was executed purposely to curb traffic jam and facilitate transportation within the city. According to the DART study conducted in 2010, at least 4bn/- loss was being incurred every day from traffic jams in Dar es Salaam.

 

Workers spend hours on their way to workplaces and environmental pollution causes diseases such as cancer which cost huge sums of money to treat. Moreover, the city had a total of 6,000 commuter buses, but was carrying only 43 per cent of the city dwellers.

 

And about 90 per cent of the buses carried fewer than 30 passengers. Moreover, a study by the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) in 2010 indicates that traffic jams are notorious and eat up to 20 per cent of annual business profits. With the improvement of infrastructure, it is obvious the government's goals to build industrial driven economy will be achieved since infrastructure is the main pillar in building any country's economy.

 

Finance and Planning Minister, Dr Philip Mpango said last week that the projects include implementation of the second and third phase of the Bus Rapid Transit in Dar es Salaam.

 

Another project, which is expansion of the Dar es Salaam Port requires 600 million US dollars (over 1.3tri/-), but the World Bank has offered 305 million dollars for the first phase of the project. With all these efforts, it obvious the government goals to change the country's economy will be fully achieved.

 

All these efforts show clearly that the government intends to bring true changes to the nation's economy. It is, therefore, important for all Tanzanians to work hard and build an inclusive economy.

Source : allafrica.com