Tanzania, Japan, ink agreement for Yen1.5bn grant

(SomaliNet) The Tanzanian and Japanese governments on Tuesday signed an agreement of financing two development projects which cost Japanese Yen1.5bn.

According to the deal, the assistance will be for the improvement of Masasi-Mangaka road and the water supply development in Dar es Salaam peri-urban and Coast Region.

News sources say, during a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance in Dar es Salaam, the Japanese government signed a financial support of Yen692m for the Masasi-Mangaka road to tarmac level.

Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Grey Mgonja while speaking during the ceremony, said that, the Masasi-Mangaka road lies under the Mtwara corridor programme and therefore its improvement to tarmac level would render it serve as a major linkage with the southern countries of Mozambique and Malawi.

He said, upon completion of the 55.1km road stretch, it would encourage other potential financiers to provide financing for the Mangaka-Songea-Mbamba Bay section of the road, eventually opening up the Mtwara transport corridor.

He named among the benefits of the road as to ease the transport burden to residents and visitors to the area and stimulate numerous business opportunities related to trade and agricultural activities.

The other exchanged note was for the financing of water development in Dar es Salaam peri-urban and Coast Region to cost Japanese Yen818m.

According to the agreement, the grant will be used for the construction of water facilities in Dar es Salaam metropolitan areas as well as some parts of Coast Region including Bagamoyo, Kibaha, Mkuranga and Kisarawe districts.

The entire project is expected to improve the water supply system, which will benefit about 21 villages in the two regions.

Upon completion of the project, the number of people accessing clean and safe water will increase from 16,000 to about 76,000, while water supply rate will also go up from 23 per cent to 65 per cent.

Speaking during the occasion, Japanese envoy to the country, Makoto Ito said that completion of the road would mark another milestone in the efforts made on linking of main Kibiti-Mingoyo trunk road and the unity bridge being under construction at Tanzania-Mozambique border.-Guardian