Dar es Salaam, Jan. 14 -- IN the past, transportation on Lake Nyasa was risky. Not because of the lake itself, but vessels and ferries used to transport goods and passengers. The situation was affecting livelihoods of people living near the lake, both in Tanzania and neighbouring countries.

As trade and other economic activities in the regions near the lake were crippled, the country also earned less in terms of income from its ports along the Lake Nyasa. Lake Nyasa hosts a total of 15 ports under the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA). The ports are in the regions of Mbeya, Njombe and Ruvuma, whereby Itungi port is headquarter of all those ports along the lake.

Having realised socio-economic potential of these ports to the country, the gov...