THE Minister for Minerals, Mr Dotto Biteko, has called upon mineral dealers to avoid illegal deals if they want to benefit from the business as the government is creating a favorable environment for everyone to reap profits from the sector.
Speaking to mineral traders in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, Mr Biteko said the mining sector should contribute fairly to the country’s economy while benefiting traders.
Mr Biteko cited efforts being put in place as including curbing all forms of smuggling and establishment of mineral centers countrywide which have seen revenue from the precious stones rising to 243 billion shillings since establishment of mineral centers in July last year.
But Minister Biteko, who was speaking with Dar es Salaam mineral dealers yesterday, said that some of them were using tricks to smuggle minerals and thus denying the country of its revenues.
“The mining centers regulation requires that to avoid inconveniences, every individual owning minerals owishing to transport minerals has to declare them to relevant authorities. We have also minimized bureaucracy in accessing mineral export permits which grant an opportunity for Tanzania to export and negotiate prices globally unlike before,” the minister said.
He however used the meeting to insist that apart from striving hard to minimize the tediousness surrounding the sector; the government’s eye is wide awake on the gemstones sector by combating all forms of misdeeds so that all of the citizens involved in the mineral value chain can rightfully reap from their sweat.
The tediousness in the mineral trade addressed, according to the minister, includes minimizing the process of time and distance of accessing permits which are currently done at regional mineral zonal offices, and employing more staff at the mining commission to minimize inspection evaluation processes.
Others are coming up with a modality of expanding the amount of jewelry which can be bought and exported by foreigners, a move which is said to be widening trading opportunity among local dealers.
Speaking at the conference, gemstone trader Ms Consolatha Rwegasira urged the government to simplify access to loans for small scale traders access mining equipments in the country.
