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Mining still pays, JK tells Norway
2008-04-22 10:45:28
By Lusekelo Philemon
President Jakaya Kikwete has said his government has devised mechanisms to help guarantee smoother operations in Tanzania`s mining sector.
He has subsequently made an impassioned appeal to the government and people of Norway not to withdraw their shares from the sector, saying.
Norway has previously threatened to withdraw shares amounting to $5bn, citing corruption and tax evasion by some mining companies operating in Tanzania.
The President made the position known when responding to a question from a Norwegian journalist at a joint news conference at the State House in Dar es Salaam also attended by visiting Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
President Kikwete said his government had already worked on the matter by setting up a committee that was expected to come up with a package of measures to make Tanzania`s mining industry operate more efficiently and productively.
He added: ``We have discovered that there were doubts on our mining sector and have therefore formed a special committee to make a thorough study of the matter, with a view to helping us have long-lasting answers to these problems and doubts.
The committee`s report should be out soon and, possibly, the recommendations will be brought to me next week.``
The President was optimistic that the report would come up with realistic and workable recommendations whose implementation would lead to appreciable improvements in the mining sector.
``We are trying to clear the mess in our mining industry and I have told my guest (Prime Minister Stoltenberg) that there is no reason for the Norwegian people to withdraw their shares from mining companies based here. Everything will soon be sorted out,`` he stated.
Asked on his position on Sunday`s resignation of Infrastructure Development minister Andrew Chenge, President Kikwete simply said his government has taken immediate action whenever a burning issue has cropped up.
He admitted that there were problems in the forestry and wildlife sectors, adding that appropriate measures have been taken to rectify the situation.
He elaborated: ``We have directed the organs concerned to make regular transfers of forestry and wildlife officers.
It is no longer allowed for a forestry officer to stay in one station for more than five years. This may be very expensive but we know it will help solve the problem,`` he said.
Prime Minister Stoltenberg, who jetted in yesterday morning at the start of a two-day official visit to Tanzania, said he was impressed by the Kikwete government`s war on poverty and efforts to cut down child mortality rates.
``We should put much attention on good governance and the fight against corruption. Corruption always undermines socio- economic development,`` he said at the conference.
Commenting on the Norwegian government`s pledges to solve problems caused by or related to climate change, he said success called for collective national, regional and international efforts.
The Prime Minister pointed out that every country had a role to play in reducing the scale of the problems, adding that the consequences knew no boundaries.
Elaborating, he said developed countries were supposed to deal with the problems locally while also helping in financing projects meant to minimise the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the least developed countries.
He explained that his government has been routinely setting aside some $500 million every year for the funding of forest-related projects across the world.
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