THE government has launched X-rayed cargo scanner operations at Tunduma One Stop Border Post (OSBP) of Tanzania and Zambia to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of border crossing processes.
This scanner is set to contribute to a reduction in the clearance time by 30 per cent and cut down long waiting times and customs clearance processes including 100 per cent physical verification of cargo.
The cargo scanner project, worth 2.69 million US dollars (6.22bn/-), was funded by The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO Tanzania), the Embassy of Ireland and the Norwegian Embassy of Tanzania through Trademark East Africa (TMEA).
The scanner can screen 120 trucks per hour and will further reduce the time to cross the border by 30 per cent.
The Ministry of Finance and Planning, Permanent Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Tutuba said the government has been implementing plans to improve the business regulatory environment, blue print, including a cross-border businesses aiming at improving the business environment, increasing local and international investment and promoting economic growth.
“The purchase and installation of X-ray cargo scanners supported by TMEA contribute to achieving the government goal of improving the business environment,” Mr Tutuba said during the launch.
Songwe Region Commissioner, Waziri Kindamba, said that the scanner sets to eliminate the problem of queues in Tunduma township.
The Tanzania Revenue Authority Commissioner General, Mr Alphayo Kidata said the Tunduma OSBP facility including the non-intrusive inspection systems financed by TMEA have set the highest standards for the country borders and “will be used as benchmark for all our future OSBPs,”.
TMEA’s time and traffic survey report of April 2021 showed that the average traffic passing through Tunduma OSBP per day is 209 vehicles and it takes an average of 30.15 hours to cross the border for inbound cargo; out of which 3-4 hours is for physical verification of cargo.
For outbound cargo, the average traffic is 243 vehicles per day and it takes an average of 37.51 hours to cross the border.
TMEA’s Country Director for Tanzania Monica Hangi said their partnership with TRA and funding from UKAID, Irish Aid and the Norwegian Embassy in Tanzania has enabled the purchase of the X-ray cargo scanner for Tunduma OSBP.
“We have continuously worked with various partners to grow regional trade by increasing efficiency and effectiveness of land border crossing processes, through the construction of OSBPs and implementation of Integrated Border Management systems,” Ms Hangi said.
TMEA, so far, has supported the construction and operationalisation of fifteen (15) OSBPs across eastern Africa, including four (4) OSBPs in Tanzania—Holili, Mutukula, Kabanga and Tunduma—and is continuously working with partners to make them more efficient with the goal of achieving a reduction in time and costs of transportation.
