"For years, Bagamoyo has only been known for its history with the likes of Chief Fundikira and his ilk, this is all going to change when the port and the PIZ is completed," he said.
President Kikwete said that completion of the Bagamoyo Port, with a total investment of 10 billion US dollars will add capacity to the ones in Dar es Salaam, Tanga and Mtwara which handles 12 million tonnes annually where 6,000 containers are processed, employ 3,200 people including 1,500 labourers. He said that the new port expects to handle another 600,000 tonnes, process 1,000 containers and employ 1,000 people.
"Phase one of the port project covering 100 hectares will consist of four berths of which two will be dedicated for containers, one for multipurpose general cargo and a service berth.
This first phase of the project will be developed in parallel with the development of the supporting infrastructure and the PIZ," he said. President Kikwete added that the expected container size is 8000 TEUs and a further 700 hectares is allocated for subsequent phases of the port development. PIZ will cover 1,700 hectares, of which 70 per cent is planned for the construction of factories, workshops and warehouses and the remaining 30 per cent is for the infrastructure including road connection, green belt, water, power, gas and telecommunication.
He also said that it is envisioned that 100 million tonnes of steel will be produced from the industries and that without having the central line which will be constructed at standard gauge and the Tazara line, relying on roads will deplete the road network in three years.
"There are plans to build another railway line to Mtwara. It is only by doing so that we will save our roads and also be labelled as people who didn't do their jobs right," he said.
He took the time to appeal to the people of Bagamoyo and Tanzanians in general to rise up to the opportunities that will come out from project, to be good collaborators, partners, be ready to venture in the construction of offices and residential complexes and to put emphasis on education and vocational training.
The Export Processing Zones Authority Director General, Col (rtd) Joseph Simbakalia, echoed the president's call for people to make most of the opportunities that the port and the PIZ will bring and for people not to remain mere spectators.
Col Simbakalia said that during the construction of the project which falls under the Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone, there will be need for raw materials like sand and gravel and that they will all be sourced locally and that alone is an opportunity not to be missed. "I call upon everyone to avoid all activities that will bring about loss of trust among those who are investing.
Anyone ready to invest 10 billion US dollars shows they have trust in you, let's repay that trust by providing cooperation and security," he said. He said that recent studies and reports show that in the coming years, it is estimated that over 60 per cent of the world's international trade will be coming from the India Ocean region and that the construction of the Bagamoyo port couldn't have come at a better time.
In another development, all 2,000 plus residents who have willingly given up their land to pave way for the project will have a house built for them by the government in a piece of land that has already been earmarked while the evaluation and compensation process is ongoing.
Minister for Transport, Mr Samwel Sitta said that the building of the houses is a directive from President Kikwete who has said that anyone who willingly gives up their livelihoods for the good of the nation deserves to be treated equally special.
Adding to this, Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, said that as the government is committed to ensuring improved welfare of those left their land, the state is ready to look for another piece of land should the one already earmarked not be adequate.
President Kikwete in his keynote address said that he has overheard murmurs of discontent that the district surveyor is proving to be a stumbling block in the compensation process and ordered Mr Patrick Cecy's replacement to another region for the process to be smooth.
The government and the China Merchants Holdings International (CMHI) started to discuss the project in August 2012 and signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) in September 2012. Subsequently, they entered into a framework agreement signed in March 2013 and implementation agreement the same year.
A MoU between the government, CMHI and State General Reserve Fund of Oman was signed in October, last year and it set out the intention to develop the Bagamoyo Port and eventually the laying of the foundation stone.
/Daily News.
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