26 February 2014,Tanga, Dar es Salaam — TANGA Regional Commissioner Ms Chiku Gallawa announced that exploration of gas and oil in the region’s coastal belt will start in April, this year. Ms Gallawa said the exercise was initially scheduled to start last month, but was delayed to enable the exploration company have more time for preparations.
The RC was responding to a journalist at a news conference where she was asked when gas and oil exploration in the region would start. She said gas and oil exploration was a capital intensive undertaking that need plenty of money, equipment and expertise.
“The plan for exploring gas and oil exploration along Tanga coastal belt is still on … we expect the work to start in April and we will keep informing the public on what is going on,” said the RC. She said the UK-based AFREN International was assigned to carry out the exercise.
She, however, said that though the gas and oil exploration exercise was yet to start, some residents of Mkinga and Tanga districts were already benefiting from various assistance offered by the company.
The RC said the company has allocated about 300m/- for every district that would be spent on social development projects including water wells and rural dispensaries.
*Nestory Ngwega – Tanzania Daily news