The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) will incorporate more suppliers of the electronic tracking system appliances to facilitate truck owners' access to the technology that became operational last month.
TRA Deputy Commissioner for Customs Modernisation and Risk Management Bellium Silaa said in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday that the number of trucks with the gadgets is on the increase, calling for more suppliers of the appliances.
The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) will incorporate more suppliers of the electronic tracking system appliances to facilitate truck owners' access to the technology that became operational last month.
TRA Deputy Commissioner for Customs Modernisation and Risk Management Bellium Silaa said in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday that the number of trucks with the gadgets is on the increase, calling for more suppliers of the appliances.
"As more trucks get installed with the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS), TRA is identifying more suppliers to ensure easy access and availability of the gadgets," said Mr Silaa in a telephone interview with the 'Daily News.'
Techno Brain is the company that won tender to supply the system's devices. In the meantime, truck owners and clearing agents have welcomed the introduction of the tracking technology to ensure zero physical inspection of transit cargo.
The Tanzania Truck Owners' Association (TATOA) Executive Secretary, Mr Zacharia Hans Poppe said the move will increase efficiencies and cargo turnaround by cutting down the time which trucks spend at the checkpoints.
"Electronic tracking systems could be the most effective and relatively less costly option and one of the key strategies to be adopted by both public and private institutions in efforts to reduce loss as well as unnecessary expenditures," he said.
The Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA) president Mr Stephen Ngatunga said the introduction of ECTS will further improve business environment and attract new customers to trade through the Dar es Salaam port.
"The installation of the equipment in the transit cargoes ensures safety and increase trust and confidence by the customers for which clearing agents work for," observed Mr Ngatunga.
With the ECTS, TRA aims at effectively tracking the movement of cargo transported within the region in real time and manage movement of containers through ports, inland container depots and bonded warehouses.
Statistics show that the country loses over 25bn/- monthly due to fuel adulteration, dumping and compensations of lost transit cargo.
The taxman has given transporters three months as grace period to acquire the gadgets voluntarily before they become compulsory.
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