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.

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