State to expand access to natural gas

THE Ministry of Energy has put in place measures to expand the use of natural gas in the country, the Parliament heard on Thursday.

The government also said that the ongoing construction of a gas collection point in Dar es Salaam from Mtwara is in final stages.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa informed the House while responding to a question by Ritta Kabati (Special Seats, CCM) during the direct questions to the Prime Minister session.

In her question, the MP wanted to know what the government is planning to do to make sure it expands gas services in the country considering that Tanzania has become the first country in East Africa to use natural gas, and that statistics indicate that more than 200 vehicles in the country use gas.

The PM said that currently the country is using natural gas in vehicles, factories and they are planning to spread it to residential use, saying that construction of the facility will make it easy to spread the services as envisioned.

“We have involved the private sector in this project, because if we rely on the government’s ability only it will be difficult to achieve these goals, because if we combine forces soon residential houses will start using gas,” said the PM.

He said that already tenders have been announced and many have shown interest, saying that they will also involve the private sector in spreading services in areas where gas pipes will be laid, adding that they will make sure that these services reach rural areas too.

The PM said that the government has organised itself very well on this issue, adding that when the Ministry of Energy will present its budget estimates in Parliament, they are expected to give more details on how gas can reach ordinary Tanzanians.