Maghufuli not budging on roadside billboards

Works Minister Dr. John Magufuli has called on local authorities responsible for issuing permits for commercial billboards to abide by the law by providing such permits for roads under their jurisdictions Magufuli made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday at the opening of a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss a report on the tracking of fuel taxes organized by the Roads Fund Board He said that according to the Roads Act No 13 of 2007, a permit for installing anything, including commercial billboards, on road reserves must be issued by the responsible authority of the respective roads. He said Tanzania National Roads Agency was supposed to issue permits for installing commercial billboards on roads which it supervises Magufuli said according to statistics, Dar es Salaam alone has a total of 744 billboards within reserves of roads supervised by Tanroads, out of which 392 had their permits expired while 324 have no permits. He added that there were 31 billboards whose permits were yet to expire and the permits were issued by Ilala Municipal Council. 7 billboards had permits which expires in October this year, while permits for 24 billboards will expire in June 2012 and 10 billboards have allegedly forged permits. “This is proof that levies have been collected from illegal billboards. Meanwhile, the responsible authorities for roads under Tanroads have not earned any money in fiscal year 2008/2009,” Magufuli said. Chairman of the Dar es Commuter Bus Owners Association Sabri Mabruk said that his association has been contributing greatly to the Roads Fund Board through levies charged when they purchase fuels.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN