The switch to piped gas at the Ferry Market promises to enhance safety, reduce costs, improve air quality, and benefit the health of both vendors and customers.
Dar es Salaam. Fish fryers and food vendors at the popular Ferry Fish Market in Tanzania are calling for a switch from charcoal to a piped natural gas system.
They argue that using individual cooking stoves and gas cylinders is unsafe and expensive.
Speaking during a ceremony to donate 200 cooking gas cylinders for the fish vendors, they said having numerous gas cylinders clustered together poses a fire hazard, especially considering the use of charcoal by other vendors, which generates significant heat.
Market manager Seleman Mfinanga stated that the area required a cooking gas infrastructure as it was risky for each vendor to have their own gas cylinders.
“It is unsafe to store many gas cylinders in the same area where others use charcoal to cook, as this can make the place very hot inside," Mr Mfinanga argued.
He also mentioned that installing a large LPG tank would save them from spending a lot on charcoal.
Ilala constituency received a total of 700 gas cylinders from Oryx Gas Tanzania Limited (OGTL).
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mussa Zungu, who doubles as a legislator for the constituency, added weight to the concern, saying the situation threatens their safety, asking the OGTL to consider the plea.
Mr Zungu added that the company has agreed to install the tank and gas distribution pipes in each kitchen used by the vendors.
“I am pleased that Oryx Gas has agreed to our request. They will be coming here within the next three to five days to survey the location for installation," Mr Zungu stated.
For his part, Ilala district commissioner, Mr Edward Mpogolo, said the move is in line with the ruling CCM election manifesto to enable people use clean cooking energy.
Mr Mpogolo stated that a fish vendor at the market could use up to Sh100,000 buying charcoal which is costly compared to cooking gas.
"When they use gas they would protect the environment and their health. I thank the Oryx Gas for the great job you are doing," he said.
OGTL's managing director, Benoit Araman, argued that cooking with gas promotes development and protects health by reducing exposure to smoke.
“To enhance people's lives, the company has been leading the advocacy for the use of clean energy for many years,” he said.
"This is to support President Samia Suluhu Hassan's goal of making 80 percent of Tanzanians use clean energy by the year 2032," Mr Araman added.
He said Oryx would continue motivating the use of clean energy at family level as well as in institutions serving food to more than 100 people.
