Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday stressed on earmarking reliable lands for establishment of industrial parks in Morogoro Region, enough to accommodate big inflow of investors.
Equally, the President wanted residents in the region to engage in efficient agricultural production and further directed regional administration to set aside lands for commercial farming, to supply enough raw materials for industries.
The Head of State made the statement when speaking to wananchi at Msamvu area, in Morogoro, where she is expected to address religious meeting, today.
“Leaders should survey the land and earmark reliable land for industrial parks as the government continues to create conducive environment to attract more investors into the country,” President Samia assured.
“We are currently receiving many investors in agriculture sector, they want huge lands for agriculture, therefore, when you re-allocate the revoked farms to citizens, retain some of them to investors for big investments,” she added.
President Samia explained that giving those lands to citizens was not a wrong move because the government wants wananchi to benefit from the available land and be productive.
However, she advised the citizens to be open to allow investors when they come and seek land for big investments.
“Be open and embrace investors when they come … he or she can talk to citizens, who could pave the way for the big investments under special agreements,” she said.
The government recently revoked licenses of big farms owned by individuals who had failed to develop them.
After revoking, the government has put the farms under regional government for them to be reallocated to the citizens in need of lands for economic activities.
“I ask the regional administration to ensure that the lands really go to the citizens,” she insisted.
However, she admitted that there were several industries that have collapsed in Morogoro and needed more efforts to revive them.
In fact she said, some of the factories need massive investments because machinery, plant and equipment are worn-out, damaged or misaligned, meaning, the need replacement or realignment.
She also said, before investors embark on reviving any industry, they first consider the issue of enough supply of raw materials and market.
“It’s impossible for an investor to revive edible oil factory if there is no enough supply of oilseeds from farmers, so I urge you to grow more oilseeds to attract industrialists to invest,” she stated.
On his part, Morogoro Regional Commissioner Martine Shigella said the President has revoked licenses of big farms sized at 45,000 hectares in total in Morogoro Region, out of which 35,000 hectares will be given to ordinary citizens and the remaining will be earmarked for investments.
“We have already started a process to re-allocate the land among residents by identifying those in need of land…this time, we will give the land to people in their groups to avoid selling of the land by individuals,” he stated.
He said the region has 4500 hectares of land that was earmarked for industrial park.
Earlier, at Kibaigwa area, Kongwa District, in Dodoma, President Samia pledged to resolve shortage of parking lot at Kibaigwa, where number of trucks on transit, park.
She said the government will collaborate with other authorities to ensure that a sum of 84m/- is obtained for that constructing the parking area.
Her pledge was in response to residents of Kibaigwa who said that they were facing a challenge of limited parking space to enable trucks to park.
Meanwhile, President Samia has urged Tanzanians to continue maintaining peace and solidarity, shunning divisive elements that are being promoted by some individuals.
She said real development could only be realised when there is peace. President Samia also called on residents of Morogoro to protect infrastructures of the flagship projects being set up in the region.
“Morogoro is being blessed to have part of the two major projects –Julius Nyerere Hydro Power Project (JNHPP) and Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) … you need to protect infrastructures of these projects because they are important for the country’s economy,” she said.
