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Coast Region should make use of investment opportunities
2008-03-19 09:13:18
By LUSEKELO PHILEMON
Coast region has ample land viable for agriculture and other potential investments. Over the years, therefore all those potentials have not been exploited to enable majority of poor people get out of massive poverty.
Though the region has got abundant natural endowments, many people have even failed to turn stones into monies. Available hectares of arable land have been underutilized.
According to the Coast Regional Commissioner, Dr Christine Ishengoma, the region has ample and very fertile land, which remains underutilized.
Apart from the potential land, the region has diverse investment opportunities which are yet to be tapped over the years.
As a result, most people live below the poverty line. Land in this region is very suitable for agriculture though there are hardly any plantations.
The region has suitable land for sugarcane plantation that if heavily invested, could be used for production of electricity.
Districts like Bagamoyo and Rufiji have suitable farming lands for sugarcane production.
Other cash products include cashew nuts, groundnuts, sisal, cotton, cassava, banana, potatoes together with coconut and simsim among others.
Regarding its tourist sites, the region has plenty of them that include Bagamoyo World Historical sites and antiquities.
Saadan National Game Reserve, is the only coastal National Game Reserve popularly known for harbouring large mammals and it is said to be the one place where elephants can still be seen bathing in the Indian Ocean.
The park is another thrilling tourism site in the region, according to the recent report issued by the Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB).
Located 54 kilometres north of the historic town of Bagamoyo, Saadan houses animals like leopard, zebra, roan antelope, giraffe, onyx and buffalo.
The region has got a spice Mafia Island. The island is another viable area for investment opportunities and feasible tourism industry.
Nice beaches are also available in the region, all this if heavily invested in, could improve people`s livelihoods. Beautiful coral reefs are among the key tourist attractions in the region.
Coast region, therefore, seems to have diverse business and trade opportunities that are not yet tapped due to low level of both foreign and local investments.
Low level of investments remains the main challenge towards region`s socio-economic prosperity.
Region`s Administrative Secretary Getrude Mpaka said recently that apart from being close to Tanzania`s commercial city—Dar es Salaam, the region looks similar to those peripheral regions.
``We are just near Dar es Salaam, but our investment level is very low, compared with other parts of the country. So, it`s high time to address these investments` imbalances,`` Mpaka said.
The region`s official has expressed her concern that there are possibilities for the region to lag behind in the realization of sound development, if the situation is left unchecked and might fail to meet the Millennium Development Goals in the next seven years.
She, however, challenged the coastal zone Regional Business Councils (RBCs), to sit down and address the impediments that inhibit development of investments in the region.
``Coastal region is very strategic and viable for investments but I don`t know why local and foreign investors are reluctant to come and invest heavily in our region?`` she queried.
According to RAS, the region has all potential sites for investments yet to be exploited by both investors—local and international investors.
Investments in industries, agriculture, banking, tourism and livestock can be easily done in the region, she said.
Bagamoyo, Kibaha, Kisarawe, Mkuranga, Mafia and Rufiji are key districts of Coast Region. All these have vast and virgin lands that are fit for all types of agriculture, small and large-scale farming.
Apart from having good agricultural lands, Mpaka insisted that the region has potential historical sites, which again have not fully been utilized for economic purposes.
The official said full utilization of region`s diverse natural heritage, would help transform people`s livelihoods, and could definitely change the economic situation of the region as well as pulling people out of abject poverty.
``Promotion of these potentials and improving investment climate in the region still remain in the hand of Coast Regional Business Council,`` RAS told the Coastal Zone executive committee.
Some of the highlighted factors for the low level of investments include cumbersome bureaucracy, corruption among region`s officials and unfriendly investment environment.
Commenting at the recent RBC’s forum in Bagamoyo, Julius Matiko said that urgent measures were needed to promote investment opportunities in the region.
``This region has all qualities that are fit for agriculture and if positively utilized, Coast Region might be one among key producers of agro-products in the country. It has a very conducive environment for agriculture,`` Matiko contended.
He added that Kibaha town, the region`s headquarter, needs to be promoted due to its strategic location.
``Kibaha is just near Dar es Salaam but it has lower development pace that can’t cope with that of Dar es Salaam. RBC needs to work hard on this,`` he said.
On his part, the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) Executive Secretary, Dunstan Mrutu, was of the view that private sector should regard itself as the key driving force towards improving investments and businesses in the Coast Region.
He suggested that there must be a symbiotic relationships between the private sector, RBC and the public sector.
``The role of RBC is to create a smooth and friendly environment for businesses and investments that will enable the private sector to excel,`` Mrutu said, adding RBC needs to explore opportunities at regional level and promote it for investors to come and invest in.
There is a need for RBCs to collaborate in implementing some of the projects that seem to benefit both investors and people in different regions.
Projects such as Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL) that passes regions of Coast, Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Arusha need to put all efforts together and make sure it is implemented for diverse benefits, according to Mrutu.
All members forming regional think tanks are supposed to prepare regions` business opportunities` profiles that identify viable areas for investments.
Under the new arrangements, RBCs need to organize local investors to invest in different potential areas within the region and outside the region.
It is of paramount importance that RBC should make local investors more vibrant in investments and this should be clearly known right from village, district to regional levels.
Local investors need to be well-informed on the opportunities available within their localities, through local investors` roundtable discussions.
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