DESPITE an unprecedented drop in the number of ships arriving at the Dar es Salaam Port, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA)'s monthly revenue collection continues increasing, as efficiency and transparency equally go up.

TPA Director General, Engineer Deusdedit Kakoko told the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) here yesterday that as of June 2017, the authority had collected 728bn/- above the 623bn/- target for the financial year ending June 30, 2017.

Eng Kakoko said an increase in revenue collection was attributed to the efforts currently being undertaken by the fifth phase government to increase efficiency, transparency and accountability at the country's main port.

According to him, the Dar es Salaam and Kigoma ports were leading in revenue collection after President John Magufuli's purge to crack the whip against unscrupulous and corrupt officials, who were squandering money.

"Initially, more than 50 per cent of officials who were occasioning loss to the government were from the private sector, among them, clearing and forwarding agents who were colluding with some employees at the port. After instituting discipline to TPS staff by firing some corrupt officials, Eng Kakoko admitted before the Parliamentary Committee that there was laxity in the ports' legal department and that he will soon revamp it.