AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has demanded sweeping reforms in the investment sector, as part of her government’s grand plan to restore trust of investors in the country.
In her directives, the president ordered the investment docket under the Prime Minister’s Office to immediately establish a one stop centre in a bid to stamp out bureaucracy in issuance of services.
This, according to the Head of State, would play a crucial role in attracting more foreign and local investors, increase government revenue, create employment as well as propelling the county’s economic growth.
President Samia issued the instructions at the State House in Dar es Salaam, during a swearing in event of the recently-appointed Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries and heads of government institutions.
She said it was crucial for the country through the Investment docket to ensure Tanzania regains the investors’ trust by improving the climate that forces some of them to shift their business to other countries.
“The One Stop Centre would remove all kinds of bureaucracy and corrupt practices… we have to clear the perception among foreign investors that Tanzania is unpredictable,” she instructed.
Ms Samia insisted that there was no need for investors to hustle around various institutions to secure business certificates and permits.
The president also expressed her concerns over the issuance of work permits, saying there is a bureaucracy that was discouraging and chasing investors away.
Ms Samia noted that a number of businesses and companies had been closed due to an unfavorable investment environment caused by uncertainties in taxes and work permits.
The president gave out a scenario of one of the potential businessmen who opted to close his business and leave the country due to frustrations that he got from tax collectors, and that the government ended up losing revenue.
“He wanted to pay tax that he owed the government. I encountered this scenario when I was the vice-president, so I asked the revenue officers to listen to him. I think he ended up being threatened to be fixed with economic sabotage and money laundering charges, he then decided to fly outside the country,” she said.
“Then the government ended up losing the money it was supposed to get from him, and he closed the business,” added Mama Samia.
The Head of State, therefore, called for coordination among heads of the relevant institutions for Tanzania to continue winning the confidence of investors for the future prosperity of the nation.
“Most businessmen and investors are calling my aides, saying that they want assurance for them to come back to Tanzania,” she revealed, directing the heads of relevant institutions to work diligently and attract more investors to the country.
The president underscored the need to lift up individuals’ economy and that could be achieved by attracting sound investments.
“Tanzanians are complaining that their pockets are empty. This can only be addressed by having sustainable investment and well maintained business that would ensure circulation of money,” said the president.
President Samia again directed the Ministry of Finance and Planning through the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to avoid use of force when collecting revenue, saying it was among the ways that kills business.
Moreover, she asked TRA to collect tax diligently without harassing and scaring businessmen, for the sake of increasing the monthly collections.
“Collect what the government deserves to get, I know my decision might result in a fall of collections for a few months but in the long run, we shall increase business, money circulation and increase the collections,” she urged.
Between 2015 and 2020, the government successfully managed to register 1,307 foreign and local investment projects worth 3.3tri/-.
This made Tanzania emerge a leader in the East African Community (EAC) bloc for attracting Direct Foreign Investments (FDIs), in its efforts to boost the private sector in line with improving the economy and creating jobs for Tanzanians.
Yesterday, the president swore in seven permanent secretaries, nine deputy permanent secretaries and three heads of public institutions, where she expressed her optimism on all appointees that they would perform diligently.
A list of permanent secretaries who were sworn in yesterday with their docket in brackets are Emmanuel Tutuba (Finance and Planning), Marry Maganga (Vice-President’s Office Union and Environment) Leonard Masanja (Energy) and Dr Allan Kijazi (Natural Resources and Tourism).
Others were Prof Godius Kahyarara (Prime Minister’s Office- Investment), Prof Abel Makubi (Health) and Gabriel Migire (Works and Transport).
A list of new deputy permanent secretaries has Hatibu Kazungu (Finance and Planning) Grace Maghembe, Mohammed Khamis Abdallah (Vice-President’s Office Union and Environment) and Prof Jamal Katundu and Caspar Muya Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, Labor, Youth, Employment and People with Disabilities).
The list also has Ambassador Fatma Rajab (Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation), Hashil Abdallah (Industry and Trade) and Dr Carolyine Nombo (Education Science and Technology), Kheri Mahimbali (Energy).
Heads of public institutions who took oath were Alphayo Kidata Commissioner General of (TRA) Gerald Kusaya, (Commissioner General for Drugs Control and Enforcement Commission) and Paulina Mkwama Secretary of the Teachers’ Service Commission.
