ZANZIBAR, Oct 30 (NNN-DAILYNEWS) — PRESIDENT Hussein Mwinyi visited Kama coastal area where the sardines’ processing centre is being constructed and called for quick completion of the plant.
He said, “We need to move fast enough to have the sardines’ factory ready so that the challenges facing fishermen and other people engaged in the business are resolved.”
Mwinyi said that unnecessary delays are unacceptable because people have been eagerly waiting for the facility to improve sardines’ production and quality to meet the increasing demand.
He also directed respective authorities to ensure all people who are supposed to be compensated after vacating the area to pave the way for the construction of the plant, are paid as quickly as possible.
He further ordered that Jeshi la Kujenga Uchumi (JKU) tasked to complete the work should see into it that they complete the assignment by mid-December this year.
On his part, Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries Principal Secretary, Dr Aboud Suleiman Jumbe, said the planned processing plant is vital because the sardines’ production for export has been growing from 3.5 tonnes with the value of 12.3bn/- in 2020 to 10,695 tonnes accumulating 39.1bn/- in 2023.
Habiba Omar Khamis, one of the sardines ‘sun driers’ thanked the government, particularly President Mwinyi for the project, adding: “We need a modern way of drying and processing our sardines to attract more buyers from abroad.”
During the visit, Mwinyi also inspected the development of the ‘Inland Container Depot (ICD)’ being constructed at Maruhubi area to reduce the avoidable congestions of containers at the Malindi main seaport. — NNN-DAILYNEWS
