CCM Secretary for ideology, publicity and training Amos Makala has asked Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to improve services at the Port of Dar es Salaam so that it serves a bigger share of the African trade market.

Makala made the appeal in Dar es Salaam yesterday during a visit to the port where he assessed its performance and efficiency following recent investments.

 He emphasized the importance of accelerating integration between the port and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to attract trade from neighbouring countries.

"Work hard and do not look back. Do not be swayed by criticism or intimidation," he said.

Makala acknowledged that the process of seeking investors for the port had faced significant debate and criticism.

"We anticipated this reaction to the investment. We understand the government's goals and plans. Our role is to plan and drive development for Tanzanians while the opposition’s role is to oversee," he said.

He criticised opposition parties for their consistent opposition to government projects, noting that they often benefit from the projects once completed.

"They opposed the purchase of airplanes, yet now they fly. They opposed the SGR and now they use it. They opposed the Mwalimu Nyerere Hydropower Project but are now benefiting from the power supply. So, we are not surprised when they oppose the investment at Dar es Salaam Port," he said.

Makala said that since DP World signed the management contract for the port, it has invested 214bn/- in upgrading and equipment, with plans to invest a total of 675bn/-.

He noted that in just four months of operating the port, it has made significant progress, including reducing ship congestion waiting to be unloaded.

Juma Kijavara, Deputy Managing Director of TPA, reported that significant operational improvements have occurred at the port in the past three years.

The achievements include the repair of docks, acquisition of modern cargo handling equipment and reduction in cargo unloading time from 20 days to a few days.

Other notable successes include an increase in cargo handling equipment, repair and reactivation of damaged equipment and acquisition of 20 cargo handling vehicles.