Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTER for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Innocent Bashungwa has appealed to Tanzanians to utilise investment opportunities by increasing production of cash and food crops so that industries may get raw materials.
He challenged Kagera residents to exploit economic opportunities due to its strategic location.
Kagera Region borders three East African Community (EAC) countries – Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi as well as Kenya which can be accessed by Lake Victoria.
“The region is also a gateway to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with a combined market of about 300 million. This is a big asset to increase our trade relations,” he said.
Mr Bashungwa said this recently while addressing traders in Kayanga Township, in Karagwe District, where he assured farmers in the country of getting better prices, noting that coffee, tea, bananas, cassava and groundnuts were among the crops in high demand in countries like China and Indonesia.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to rehabilitating and expanding several airports, including Bukoba Airport.
“The fifth phase government under President John Magufuli is keen on improving roads and bridges, especially along border regions, including Kagera Region. This will attract investment opportunities, including foreign markets. Better roads will also facilitate the transport of people and goods,” he noted.
The projects will enhance economic and social development and more investors are welcome to invest in the country’s sectors of the economy like agriculture, a key priority of the fifth phase gov ernment under President John Magufuli.
Industries that produce goods for mass consumption such as clothes, textiles and edibles are highly encouraged.
President Magufuli’s administration has embraced industrialisation as a panacea for unemployment among the youth because it is expected to be one of the significant remedies for unemployment due to the fact that more job opportunities across the country will be created.
“Without having an efficient industrial base, the country’s economy can hardly develop and create job opportunities. Industries have the great potential to create jobs and attract capital, skills and knowledge…industrialisation will pave the way for prosperity… national development cannot be imported, it must come from within,” he said.
He noted that Tanzania stood a good chance to produce food crops to feed other populations in the SADC and EAC regions.
