Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Friday unveiled major steps taken to heighten investment facilitation, including digitising application and issuance of work permits.
The system under which the online platform would be used for application and issuance of permits, is aimed at speeding up issuance of authorisation and controlling corruption as a result of face-to-face mode used in application and issuance of the documents.
The Premier also directed responsible ministers and institutions to address challenges regarding work permit duration and conditions to acquire the permit, which scares away foreign investors.
“I direct the ministries and institutions responsible for facilitating investments to speed up the procedures in order to instill trust among private sector players,” he stated.
On the other hand, Mr Majaliwa assured the public that there will be an electronic system for receiving complaints from investors.
He made the statement when winding up his speech he made on Monday when tabling the 2021/22 budget estimates for his office in the House.
According to the Premier, many MPs were concerned with investment procedures, including the process for issuing working permits. He said a total of 121 MPs filed arguments to his office budget estimates.
Mr Majaliwa said the issue of investment and challenges facing the investors pushed President Samia Suluhu Hassan to recently direct the Prime Minister’s Office to introduce One-Stop-Centre in order to control corruption and nepotism, purposely to attract more investors in the country.
“This move will bring in many foreign investors and therefore increase the number of employees and boost the country’s economy,” he stated.
He said his office has already started to take proper measures on implementation of directives by the Head of State for improving the investment atmosphere, including reviewing the 1996 investment policy and investment Act of 1997.
“The evaluation on the policy has already been done, and now we have embarked on preparing the National Investment Strategy which will enable the government to participate in regional investment conferences and improve the environment for investment,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister affirmed that shifting government activities to Dodoma capital city remains intact. He said the government has put in place good systems that will ensure all processes of shifting to Dodoma continue.
He said among the major plans under implementation include city planning, water infrastructures, road construction and many others.
“The taskforce formed to coordinate the activities for shifting to Dodoma continues with its work. We continue with work to construct the international airport, roads and a modern railway station in the city,” he said.
Mr Majaliwa encouraged the private sector to invest in the capital city. The decision to shift the government base to Dodoma was implemented during the five years of the fifth phase government of the late President John Magufuli.
Many measures have since then been taken to implement the plan, including relocating all ministries to the capital city. The President, Vice President and Prime Minister also moved to Dodoma, proving the government’s bold decision.
