DAR ES SALAAM: DEPUTY Minister for Energy, Ms Judith Kapinga has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the construction of flow metres and new oil storage barrels at the Dar es Salaam Port, assuring that that the work will be completed as planned.

Ms Kapinga made the remarks after she toured and inspected the construction work of the facilities at the port.

She said the completion of the work will increase efficiency on fuel storage because it will increase the amount of oil being stored and reduce congestion of oil tankers at the port.

The visit was made in response to instructions given by Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Energy in October 2023, during his visit to the agency. He emphasised the importance of completing the construction of the new infrastructure, specifically the flow meter, on time without compromising its performance.

The flow meter is fully owned by the government, while the new barrels are jointly owned by the government through its oil storage company, Tanzania International Petroleum Reserves (TIPER) and the Orxy Company. These barrels have a capacity to store 60 million litres of oil.

Following the inspection, Ms Kapinga had a meeting with the agency's Board of Directors and management. During the meeting, she instructed them to explain to the public the responsibilities they have in serving Tanzanians.

She urged the Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency (PBPA) to utilise various communication channels, including the media, meetings and speeches to ensure that information reaches all citizens quickly and effectively.

The Chairman of the PBPA Board, Engineer Lutengano Mwakahesya and the Chief Executive of PBPA, Erasto Simon, assured the Deputy Minister that they had received and understood all the instructions, and they committed to taking appropriate action.

Accompanying the Deputy Minister during the visit were the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy, Athumani Mbuttuka and other senior leaders from the Ministry of Energy and PBPA.