TAX revenue collected at Pugu Livestock Market has increased from 700m/- in 2012 to 3.4bn/- in 2018/2019, the management of the market announced on Thursday.
In a report presented to Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Abdallah Ulega during his visit to the market, the management said the increase was due to the improved tax revenue collection system.
The Manager of the market, Mr Kerambo Samwel Said management was set to collect 4bn/- in the next financial year.
“We will achieve the target and even surpass it,” he said, adding that the management collected 1.9bn/- between July to December 2019.
However, as Mr Ulega commended the management for better collection of revenues, business people in the area bitterly complained of poor services, attributing the situation to poor infrastractures such as roads, lack of water for feeding livestock and irregularities in the issuance and use of licences.
The business people said unsatisfactory services had been a long time problem which slows down businesses as most people, especially foreigners, were abandoning the market due to poor infrastructure.
Mr Ulega directed Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASCO ) and Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) in Dar es Salaam to take urgent actions to construct infrastructures to supply water to the market as well as improve the roads.
He tasked DAWASA and the management of the market to meet effective today and draw up a strategy in which they will set up a water source for livestock as the area awaits the completion of a big water project in progress set to supply water to Ilala, including the market.
On the other hand, Mr Ulega, through a phone call he made during the meeting with the business people, directed the Director General of TARURA to ensure that the road connecting Gongo La Mboto and Pugu market is improved immediately to smoothen the movement of Livestock to and from the market.
Earlier, the business people told Mr Ulega that most business people were failing to meet their expectations as cows and goats died along the poor road to and from the market.
Mr Ulega assured the business people of his efforts to ensure that the infrastructure was improved immediately.
“ I want to assure you (business people) that all your concerns have been taken into consideration and I will make a follow-up to ensure everything is fine, “ he said.
He also directed the Ilala District Executive Director to rehabilitate the toilet infrastructure at the market.
He said the district council should use part of the revenues they collect from the market to rehabilitate the toilet and stop expecting the central government to act on their behalf.
In another development, Mr Ulega called on foreign business people to stop buying cattle directly from owners in villages and do so from the market instead.
The move comes following complaints from local business people who complained that foreign business people bought cattle from villages.
Mr Ulega directed the concerned authorities to stop issuing licences for foreigners to buy Livestock in villages.
