The Tanzania Revenue Authority is aiming to have transit cargos inspected electronically rather than physically in the near future. The new Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) will be used to accomplish this.
Mr Harry Kitilya, the Commissioner General of TRA said, “The idea of having this system in place was to ensure zero physical inspection for transit goods within the country, but this may not be possible if we cannot incorporate other actors such as police, Tanzania Roads Agency (TANROADS) and Natural Resources officials.” Police officials have stressed the need for them to be involved with this electronic system as they have already visited TRA offices in Dar es Salaam in order to find out how it operates. TRA are positive that by July this year, the system will be up and running and all transit tracks will be incorporated into it.Mr Kitilya urged that using the new system to track cargo in real time and by managing the movement of containers through ports, inland container depots and bonded warehouses, will greatly decrease the cost of doing business. The price of goods will also be decreased as cargo will be transported faster than ever before. The ICF Chief Executive Director, Mr Omar Issa hailed TRA for the new system, saying that his organization was involved in activities aimed at easing costs of doing business.
“We have worked closely with TRA and in this system we will also ensure that police are equipped with blackberry services to be able to monitor tracks while in their sites,” he said. “The idea is to reduce checkpoints to three in the near future but when all the stakeholders are connected to ECTS, we will witness zero physical inspections,” he said.Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has given a generous donation of two vehicles, two motorcycles and radio communication equipment to TRA worth 78000 US dollars. “JICA is doing the same activity with Burundi Revenue Authority (BRA) today to facilitate inspection of the border on either side,” said JICA Chief Advisor, Mr Masaharu Shimoya.
