Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) is advocating plans to lobby for the abolition of mining rent fees to small scale miners across the country. It has been established.
Closing a two-day
annual general meeting of the Tanzania Women Miners Association (Tawoma) last
week in Dar es Salaam, TPSF, Chairman Dr Reginald Mengi said abolishing the
rent would be appropriate with the government’s pledge to assist the mining
sector in contributing to the nation’s social and economic development.
“Removing the
rent will enable more young people and women in particular to employ
themselves, which will be in line with the government’s poverty elevation
goals,” said Dr Mengi.
He said that
removing the rent fees to small scale miners would pave the way for them to
empower themselves and meet the basic needs including mining equipment and
other facilities at the workplace.
Dr Mengi reassured
small-scale miners that the foundation would do the most it can to find ready
and reliable markets for their products inside and outside the country.
Dr Mengi, who is
also IPP Executive Chairman, took the opportunity to announce plans to
introduce ‘IPP Best Producer Award’ “to incentivize and recognise outstanding
performance made by small-scale miners.
On her part, Tawoma
Chairperson Eunice Negele said the association is struggling to obtain loans
for the purchase of suitable working tools alongside hunting for reliable
markets.
She cited poor
drilling techniques as a serious challenge, adding however that the biggest
hurdles relate to annual rent fees and the bureaucracy involved in the issuance
of mining licences in the government system.
“We earnestly want to build capacity for the
young generation to engage meaningfully in self-employment and save themselves
from the vicious cycle of poverty. We want them to understand the entire
concept of mining and minerals. But we need support, but we are not getting
enough of it,” she said.
Earlier, Tawoma
Secretary General Shamsa Diwani the organization is happy with the way their
complaints are being addressed by the government, but has also called on the
same to further its support particularly in purchasing mining equipment for its
members.
“We are happy the
government has already started accepting loan applications from our members,
this is a good move in developing our economy and the livelihoods of small
scale miners,” she said.
She said there
are many female miners who had applied for loans and if all goes well they have
intended this would change their lives.
“Despite these
efforts, we are still facing a lot of challenges including use of outdated
mining equipment which denies income to our members,” she said.
She said time has
come for the government to provide them with soft loans that would enable them
to secure mining areas or modern equipment.
“As you know
mining business requires huge capital which most of us do not have, it would be
much better if the government would inject money for the benefit of our
economy,” she said.
She also hailed
the improved relationship between small and large scale miners which is a
result of government intervention.
“We thank the
government for enacting a law which requires large scale miners to support us.
This has minimised hatred between two parties,” she added.
On achievement,
she said the organisation was chosen as a model Association, and participated
in a ten day Trade Finance Clinic, facilitated by the World Bank Washington in
July 2005.
According to her,
the organisation has also participated in the Stockholm exhibition; and
exhibitions in Xiamen, China, US, Italy, United Kingdom, Dubai.
“We want buyers
from outside the country to come and purchase the minerals from our country.
This would help the miners as well as the country to benefit,” she said.
Diwani further
said that value addition to the minerals was crucial for the miners to earn
more.
Post a Comment