ENTREPRENEURS have been urged to make use of the industrial sheds available in various regions to put up small industries under the guardianship of the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO).
Speaking in Dodoma during the handover ceremony of three buildings constructed by the National Service Corporation (SUMA JKT), the Director General of SIDO, Prof Sylvester Mpanduji said the completion of the project symbolises a commitment towards building a middle income and industrial base economy.
Tanzania’s industrial sector contributes around 25 per cent to the country’s GDP and experienced an average annual growth of 8 per cent over the past 5 years.
The general industrial structure of Tanzania is comprised of manufacturing (53 per cent), processing (43 per cent), and assembling industries (4 per cent). Prof Mpanduji noted that the sheds would enable entrepreneurs find spaces to put up small factories and as a result uplift the sector.
“This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs in Dodoma Region to make use of these sheds to invest in a form of small industries under our guardianship, our role will be to ensure that efficiency and quality is harnessed,” Prof Mpanduji said.
H e further added that the buildings have cost a lot of money from taxpayers and thus SIDO was committed in ensuring that tenants are found to shun underutilisation of resources.
“We (SIDO) have a role of advertising these buildings which have been put up in over five regions and make sure that they are occupied by entrepreneurs as was the intention by the government to use these sheds to further the objective of buiding a middle income and industrial country by 2025,” he said.
H e named the regions where the sheds have been constructed as including Mtwara, Manyara, Geita, Kagera and now Dodoma, adding that information on how to invest in the buildings were available in SIDO’s regional offices.
“Our intention is to support entrepreneurs and uplift them from the lower class products to middle and eventually become larger producers while insuring that they meet set quality standards and get certification from government agencies dealing with quality control,” he said.
Prof Mpanduji noted that the sheds are intended for small entrepreneurs only who are expected to move to other bigger facilities when their factories grow giving room to others to benefit as well.
H e thanked the fifth phase government for having issued 5bn/- in the 2017/18 financial year which enabled the construction of over ten industrial sheds in various regions. On his part, the Deputy Managing Director of SUMA JKT, Col.
Ahmed Abbas Ahmed thanked SIDO and the government for awarding the tender to the military promising to continue doing good and quality job for the long-term benefit of the people and the country.
The Dodoma SIDO Regional Manager, Mr Sempeho Manongi said the completion of the project provides an opportunity to entrepreneurs in the region to invest in small industries.
