‘INFORMATION MINISTRY’S SECTORS KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH’

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AfricaPress-Tanzania: SECTORS falling under the Ministry of Information, Culture, Art and Sport are key to the country’s economic growth and development, it has been stated.

Information Minister Innocent Bashungwa spoke of the significance of the sectors to the country’s economic growth and development yesterday in Dodoma when he briefed Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Services and Community Development about the ministry’s structure and its responsibilities.

Mr Bashungwa said the sector that takes on board art and sport has been playing an important role into the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

Giving an example, the minister said in 2018 the sector contributed 13.7 per cent of the country’s GDP, becoming the lead sector in terms of contribution to the GDP growth, while in 2019, the sector contributed 11. 2 per cent, taking the third spot in the GDP growth contribution aspect.

“We thank the Committee for sharing with us some very constructive ideas that we believe will help to improve the sectors. My colleagues and I promise to work on your ideas and, just to inform you, we have already started implementing some of them in all sectors,” Mr Bashungwa told Committee members.

He said the ministry has started working on Sport Strategic Development Plan, including the construction of the modern Sports and Arts Arena in Dodoma City.

He said the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) are working together in the area of revenue collection from performing arts and other artistic works through digital taxation.

Committee Chairperson Stanslaus Nyongo hailed the ministry for the good strategies being crafted, advising it to be creative and innovative enough in collecting revenue from art and sport related activities.

The chairperson also advised the ministry to collaborate with the Ministry of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in charting out an explicit arrangement for supervising sport activities in schools.

Butiama Constituency legislator Jumanne Sagini congratulated the ministry for the efforts it is making in discharging its responsibilities, insisting that there is need to review all policies under the ministry, so that they become up-to-date.

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