Tanzania government has announced that thousands of jobs would be created by ongoing huge projects, including the State-funded construction of the country’s first ever standard gauge railway line from Morogoro to Dodoma, representing 30,000 new direct jobs and 600,000 indirect ones. President John Magufuli issued a concern when addressing a mammoth that gathered to listen him during the laying of the foundation stone of the 7trn/- worth 426km-long line whose construction is implemented by the Turkish based firm Yapi Merkezi and supervised by the State-run Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC). While acknowledging that the country faced a serious unemployment problem, his administration was resolutely determined to ease it by investing in more development projects. President Magufuli outlined other mega projects as the Rufiji hydro power project, roads networks as well as rural electrification projects. He called on wananchi not to be too selective but seize whatever job opportunities came up. The new standard gauge railway project which is projected to take at least 30 months, will smoothen the flow of goods, people and services within and outside the country. The project is billed to boost trade and economic growth in Tanzania and neighboring countries. Experts say lack of appropriate infrastructures had been slowing per capita growth at an average of over 1 percent, especially in sub Saharan Africa. The speed train that cover the Dar es Salaam-Dodoma stretch within three hours will replace at least 500 cargo trucks carrying capacity of 20 tons each.
The Head of State says the project would unlock more potentials for economic development in the country. “This line will unlock trade potentials, improve our road networks that has been heavily affected by cargo trucks. This is an opportunity to Dodoma as well as neighbouring landlocked countries Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo,” President Magufuli said. Works, Transport and Communication Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa said Tanzania had lost a lot of its clients who used to ferry their cargo through the Dar es Salaam Port. He said constructors are expected to work around the clock and the government had already released 1.23trn/- as initial payment for the required advance funds. TRC Managing Director Mr Masanja Kadogosa told the public yesterday the new train would be the first of its kind in east and central Africa. Elaborating, he said the electric powered line would involve construction of 143 culverts, 105 bridges, 95 flyovers, four tunnels, eight stations and six substations. “We are working in collaboration with other ministries and local governments to effectively implement the project. Apart from electricity, the train is also designed to use diesel,” the TRC boss added. In another development, Tanzania Employment Services Agency (TaESA) yesterday announced 11,000 employment opportunities for local professionals in the project of East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline constructions (EACOP). Speaking to the journalists in Dar es Salaam, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of TaESA, Mr Boniface Chandaruba, said 10,000 employment opportunities would be created during the project’s construction and 1,000 during its operations. He said the applicants can send their applications physically to TaESA’s regional offices in Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza and Dodoma or use its website. The deadline for submissions is the end of this month. “We have announced availability of these opportunities in order to start registration and assessment to know the number of professionals in the gas and oil sectors. The application is free of charge and whoever is interested is free to apply,” he explained. He said USD billion 3.5 would be spent on the construction of the EACOP project from Hoima in Uganda to Chongoleni in the Tanga Region. It will traverse eight regions, 24 districts and 184 villages. The regions are Kagera, Geita, Shinyanga, Tabora, Dodoma, Manyara and Tanga. TaESA is an Executive Agency under Prime Minister’s Office ( Labour, Employment, Youth and People With Disability). It was established under the Executive
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