The workshop, organised by Tanzania Private Sector Foundation and Petro Fiorentini, expects to unveil opportunities available before, during and after pipeline construction. The organisers also expect to express the role of value chain and local content to the country's business community.

 

TPSF Executive Director, Godfrey Simbeye, who was represented by his Lois Accaro, said the project would create enormous number business opportunities plus jobs.

 

"The main focus of this workshop is to brief open eyes in value chains and also to give suppliers the channels, tools and means to harness and cater for this project," Mr Simbeye told reporters over the weekend.

 

Top on the list of priorities for the workshop will be to hear plans on how to prepare local workforce and engagement of local enterprises to maximise the national economic benefit from this project.

 

The one-day workshop will address skills shortages in the country, both in technical and professional areas and significant investment required to provide relevant skills to local staff. Others are to build the capacity of the local supply chain to international standards and project timelines.

 

The envisaged 24-inch pipeline to cover 1,403 kilometres is expected to convey 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day for exports. The project is expected to create 15,000 jobs during its execution after which upon completion, in 2020, it will employ about between 1,000 and 2,000 people.

 

In Tanzania the pipe will pass through Kagera, Geita, Shinyanga, Tabora and Singida to Tanga where 200 kilometres of new roads and 150 km existing ones will be upgraded by TANROADS.

 

The envisaged pipeline through the country will be of benefit not only to Uganda and Tanzania but other countries in the region such as Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 

During the workshop, TOTAL will make a detailed presentation on how local force will be engaged on entire value chain. The companies in the 4.0 billion dollars (about 8.7 trillion/-)project include Total E&P of France, Tullow Oil of United Kingdom as well as China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

Source : allafrica.com