PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has said his dream of seeing Kigoma Region register positive economic growth is being realised following the implementation of various development projects there.
He also reassured residents of the region that it will now be connected to all other Western Zone regions by tarmac roads. He made the remarks on different occasions during his tour of the region yesterday.
Earlier, when inaugurating a building constructed by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), he observed that the region will make major strides in terms of development in the near future.
To ensure that Kigoma attains set development goals, President Kikwete said that the government is completing the process of bringing two passenger ferries to ply on Lake Tanganyika along with the improvement of port and railway infrastructure.
Speaking on the opening of the NSSF building, President Kikwete said that it will be a catalyst for economic development in the region. He had a word of praise for the fund for taking note of economic opportunities in the region and tapping them.
Earlier, NSSF Director General, Dr Ramadhani Dau, told the president that 7.6bn/- has been spent on the structure and that until its completion, the fund used local companies only.
Dr Dau said that hitherto, 85 per cent of the building space has been rented out to various development stakeholders who have opened offices, further reporting that along with the structure, the fund intends to construct an international business complex at Mwandiga area on the outskirts of Kigoma- Ujiji municipality at the cost of 43.7bn/-.
Speaking during the launching of the building, the Minister for Labour and Employment, Ms Gaudentia Kabaka, said that NSSF has continued to implement President Kikwete’s directive on social security funds to invest in areas that will benefit the people, including providing loans to farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs.
Before launching the building, President Kikwete inaugurated a structure constructed by National Housing Corporation (NHC) along Lumumba Road here along with 36 low-cost houses at Mlole area.
NHC Director General Mr Nehemia Mchechu said that the construction of the houses is in implementation of the president’s directive to build low-cost houses in every region and that all the houses in Kigoma have already gotten buyers.
During the occasion, the Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Mr William Lukuvi, told the president that construction of the building and affordable houses is part of the company’s strategy to become competitive.
Earlier yesterday, President Kikwete launched the 76.6-kilometre Kidahwe-Uvinza road, which has been upgraded to tarmac level at the cost of 82.044bn/-. “During my stay in office, I made it my effort to open up roads in the Western Zone; this region was like an island and I told myself that this situation is unacceptable.
We must open up the roads,” he remarked. He said that they have tried to open all corners of the region by constructing roads to tarmac level to link it with other regions to ease transportation and to improve economic interaction.
“If you elect Dr John Magufuli (CCM presidential candidate), who knows the roads very well, he will not leave them as they are now, because he knows what is involved; so it will be easy for him... it is not like I am campaigning for him, I am just saying what is true,” Mr Kikwete told his audience.
He thanked the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Abu Dhabi Fund for financing the construction of the road and called on residents to safeguard the road for sustainable economic activities.
Earlier, TANROADS Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Patrick Mfugale said that the road is part of the Kigoma-Uvinza-Kaliua-Tabora Highway, which shortens trips to and from Kigoma and Tabora by 300 kilometres compared to the Tabora-Nzega-Kigoma road.
Culled from Daily News
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