Tanzania: RESIDENTS of Dar es Salaam and the Coast regions and some areas of Mororogo Region should brace themselves for substantial water rationing, following a significant drop of water levels at Ruvu Water Treatment Plants.
Authorities have placed an alert for the residents to prepare themselves as some parts of the city are already experiencing biting water rationing for the past one month.
The Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA) noticed the drop in water levels at the plants, reducing the supply by almost 36 per cent. This has resulted into limit the supply.
The announcement was made yesterday by the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC) Mr Amos Makalla, when he visited and inspected the Ruvu Water Treatment Plants both Lower and Upper, following complaints of water shortage in some areas of the two regions.
“The current situation is not pleasing… water levels have dropped significantly in our sources — both Lower and Upper Ruvu. Normally, the we were producing 466 million liters from both the Upper and Lower Ruvu plants per day, but now both sources are producing 300 million liters per day equal to 64 per cent of the capacity
“In such a situation, we cannot escape from water rationing,” RC Makalla underscored, while associating the situation to the lack of autumn rains.
Ruvu river which is one of the largest rivers in Tanzania and the main source of water for the two water plants is also experiencing drop in water levels. It is the main source of freshwater in Dar es Salaam, a business city with a population of over 6 million.
While mid-October spells the start of the short rains, the country has instead experienced little rainfall – associated with climate change.
RC Makalla implored Dar es Salaam, Coast and Morogoro dwellers to use water carefully, while identifying government’s efforts to deal with the challenge, including completing a Kigamboni boreholes project this month that will help mitigate the water woes for Kigamboni residents and other areas in Dar es Salaam city centre.
“There are efforts being made by DAWASA to complete the Kigamboni project by the end of the month, a project that will have the capacity to produce approximately 70 million litres per day,” he added
On behalf of the Coast and Morogoro Reginald Commissioners, RC Makala pledged to continue cooperate with Dawasa in protecting water sources to ensure reliable access to water in those areas.
Recently, Dawasa, Chief Executive Officer, Eng Cyprian Luhemeja said the authority had invested 1.1tri/- to implement different water projects for the Coast and Dar es Salaam Regions and improvement of water availability.
Eng Luhemeja made the remarks when speaking about the implementation of the authority activities for the financial year 2021/22 and 2022/23.
He said during this financial year, Dawasa intended to embark of the implementation of Kidunda dam water project, where the government has set aside 388bn/- for the project. He said the contractor was likely to be on the site by this October.
Apart from Kidunda project, Kimbiji water project which involve drilling of seven boreholes at Kigamboni worth 23bn/-. The project is nearing its completion
Source: allafrica.com
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Tanzania: Samia Hands Over NBC’s 354m/ – Crop Insurance Compensation to Farmers Affected By Hailstorms
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has handed over a cheque of 354m/- from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) as compensation to tobacco farmers, who were affected by hailstorms during the previous farming season in various regions across the country.
Handing over the cheque in Dodoma, the compensation is part of the crop insurance service provided by NBC in collaboration with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
Furthermore, President Samia has also handed over health insurance coverage to members of the Lindi Mwambao Cooperative Union based in Lindi Region, through the Farmers’ Health Insurance service provided by the bank in partnership with Assurance Insurance Company.
While visiting the bank’s pavilion at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition and being received and briefed by the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Theobald Sabi, she said: “This crop insurance is one of the crucial solutions in ensuring farmers have a reliable income, without fear of challenges such as natural disasters, including hailstorms.
“I call upon all farmers in the country to make the best use of this important opportunity by accessing these kinds of insurance services. I also highly commend NBC and all the stakeholders participating in this programme.”
Elaborating further on the crop insurance service, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, stated that it will help to recover the loss farmers incurred, especially in various calamities beyond their control.
Citing them as floods, fires, and hailstorms, which have significantly affected the well-being of farmers and caused some to be reluctant to invest in the crucial sector, Mr Bashe added: “However, our President, this step by NBC is just the beginning, as this is the second year since they started offering this service, and the results are already visible.
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“As the government, we promise to continue supporting the wider implementation of this service, with the goal of ensuring that this crop insurance service reaches more farmers.”
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On his part, Mr Sabi said that the farmers who benefited from the compensations are from 23 primary cooperative unions in the regions of Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Mbeya, Katavi, and Kigoma.
He added: “In addition to these insurance services, as a bank, through this exhibition, we have continued with our programme of providing financial education and various banking opportunities to farmers, alongside offering them various loans, including loans for agricultural equipment, particularly tractors, to eligible farmers.:
At the NBC booth, President Samia also had the opportunity to be briefed on the various services offered by the bank to the farmers namely crop insurance and health insurance services.
There, the President had the chance to speak with some of the beneficiaries of the services, including the Vice-Chairman of the Lindi Mwambao Primary Cooperative Union, Mr. Hassan Mnumbe, whose union has been provided with a health insurance card from the bank.
Source: allafrica.com
