Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has said that the country has started reaping dividends from mobile money transaction levies imposed recently by the government by increasing availability of social services.
The Head of State called on Tanzanians to support the move because even other nations have started emulating the system. “One month after the country imposed the levies, the UK also introduced similar levies for the purpose of funding the health sector … what we did in Tanzania is not new, it is something worth to be emulated by other nations,” Samia said.
President Samia made the remarks yesterday when addressing Kilimanjaro residents during the first day of her working tour in the region. She said that the levies were introduced in order to make the country self-reliant in financing its social services.
President Samia said that before getting the International Monetary Fund relief package, the levies were meant to help in construction of classrooms and health facilities.
She noted that in a period of three months since the levies were introduced, 200 health centres and 500 classrooms are being constructed in various parts of the country.
She said that although government has received funds from IMF, it will continue to deduct the levies.
“As you all heard, the IMF fund is going to finance the construction of classrooms in secondary schools and satellite schools, but we still have primary schools which still need classrooms … thus these levies will help to overcome the shortage. Meanwhile, President Samia has commended Kilimanjaro residents for turning out in their numbers to get vaccinated against Covid-19. She however urged on caution, challenging the residents not to take the killer disease for granted.
“I understand that the region’s quota is finished and it is a clear indication of how well sensitised you were regarding the jabs,” explained the President while addressing residents at Ushirika grounds. Ms Samia further urged the residents to continue taking precautionary measures against Covid-19, saying the deadly virus was still lurking. “I was a bit surprised when I saw a good number of people not wearing masks, being vaccinated doesn’t mean you must go without a mask,” she cautioned.
She appealed to those who were yet to receive the jab to do so, noting that the vaccine helps to reduce the costs that a person would incur if they contracted the killer disease.
According to the President, Kilimanjaro was one of the regions mostly affected by Covid-19, urging the residents to continue taking caution.
Ms Samia further insisted that the government was keen on repairing rural roads in a bid to make them passable throughout the year. This would allow the smooth transportation of crops to the market, according to the President.
“It is for this fact that we have continued to increase TARURA funding,” she revealed.
The President said the government would also improve the health sector in the region, with special focus on the construction and completion of the mother and child building at Mawenzi Regional Referral Hospital. Such an initiative, she said, will cost the government 3bn/.
“We have also allocated some 6bn/- for rehabilitation of the Mawenzi Regional Referral Hospital so that it could match its status of a Regional Referral Hospital,” she said.
The President also weighed on the contentious levy issue, saying it aimed at implementing several development projects in the country.
“In a short time the money raised from the newly introduced levies has helped build more health facilities along with construction of more than 500 classrooms. Even in the United Kingdom they have such levies, it should therefore not become an issue of concern,” she assured.
According to the President, the government would also execute the MwangaSame-Korogwe drinking water project which has been long overdue. The mega water project contract was in August terminated by the government.
According to the Water Minister Jumaa Aweso, the contractor had failed to honour the binding agreement, including the timeframe for completion of the project which started in 2014 and was expected to be completed by 201
