Company's Country Director, Mr Nick McAleer said the filling and storage facility marks the end of a key phase of investment in new and upgraded LPG facilities across the country over the past 18 months. He said the choice of Dodoma coincides with the government's recent decision to move all Ministries from Dar es Salaam to the country's capital.

 

"Our investments in LPG facilities in Tanzania over the past 18 months aim to ensure that LPG is readily available to households and industries in every corner.

 

This will help to protect their health and the country's forests, as they move away from using charcoal and firewood," he said. As an example, a fifteen kilo cylinder of LPG is equivalent to using 25 kilos of charcoal.

 

He said the company has built a total of three new LPG cylinder filling and storage depots over the past 18 months in Iringa, Zanzibar and, most recently, Dodoma, with a combined storage capacity of 175 tonnes.

 

It has also extended its existing depots in Mwanza, Isaka, Moshi, Kurasini and Mbeya, increasing storage space by a further 480 tonnes and growing cylinder filling capacity. All of the facilities have been designed and built to meet the requirements set by national and international safety standards.

 

"Cooking with LPG is easy and offers a safer, healthier and more ecological alternative to firewood and charcoal. LPG is also priced competitively compared with charcoal, which is a health and environmental hazard.

 

Similarly, for industry, LPG is an efficient power source, offering an attractive alternative to diesel or fuel oil," he added. Oryx Energies has been in Tanzania since 1999 and is the market leader in LPG, with over 1 million cylinders in circulation and an extensive network of dealers and super dealers.

Source : allafrica.com