The Zanzibar government has reached an advanced stage in searching for a new vessel to solve the current problem in sea transportation, Minister for Communications and Infrastructure, Mr Hamad Masoud Hamad has said.
The Zanzibar government has reached an advanced stage in searching for a new vessel to solve the current problem in sea transportation, Minister for Communications and Infrastructure, Mr Hamad Masoud Hamad has said.
Mr Hamad informed the House of Representatives that the government has spared no efforts in soliciting funds to buy a new vessel, and that the government was committed to purchasing a passenger/cargo ship. The minister said that about 14 million US dollars is required to buy a standard ship as representatives have been pressing the government to speed up the acquisition of a marine vessel.
Since the sinking of MV Spice Islander in September last year in which more than 200 passengers perished, Zanzibar residents, mainly the poor, have been asking the government to buy a new vessel to serve between Unguja, Pemba and Dar es Salaam.
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