Tanzania’s Mining Sector Fetches Fruitful Results -

By STAFF REPORTER

CONTRIBUTION of the mining sector to the county’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) have increased to 9.1 percent from 7.2 between 2021 and 2022 as the sector registered an impressive growth, from 9.6 percent to at least 10.9 percent during the period.

During the 2022/23 fiscal year revenues collections accrued from the mining sector has reached at 678bn/-, whereby the mining market points managed to raise a total of 154.4bn/- .

Speaking at a press conference yesterday in Dodoma Capital City, the Tanzania Mining Commission (TMC)’s Acting Executive Secretary, Eng. Ramadhani Lwamo expressed that the sector recordered encouraging stride during the past fiscal year due to effective and close supervision.

“Between 2021/22 and 2022/23 fiscal years, revenue collections from the mining sector increased from 624.61bn/- to 678.04, equivalent to 82.49 percent of the set collection target of 822bn/-,” he informed.

He added that as part to improve investment in the mining sector in the country, a total of 9,642 mining licenses were issued, being out of a total of 9,174 licenses that was expected to be offered to the large-scale, middle and minor mining extractors, as well as those wishing to venture into mining trade.

Together with that, he communicated that out of the so far issued licenses, 6,511 licenses, equivalent to 70.97 percent, was dispatched to the small scale miners, which is in line with the much- needed vision by the sixth phase government to support the small miners.

Detailing over the other achievements attained by the commission, Eng. Lwamo said the commission, through the parent ministry and in cooperation with the local government have managed to initiate a total of 42 new markets and at least 94 small mining centers in different areas, being efforts to attain effect monitoring of the mining trade in the country.

“During the time we succeeded to visit and inspect a total of 19,580 mining sites across the country, including those based in Morogoro, Tabora, Arusha, Mwanza, Tanga, Manyara, Iringa, Njombe, Mbogwe, Shinyanga, Dodoma, Kigoma, Kagera, Chunya, Geita, Mara, Mbeya, Rukwa, Lindi, Dar es Salaam, Ruvuma, Coastal, Mtwara and Katavi,” he detailed.

And he added, in the current fiscal year, the plan was to strengthen monitoring of the mining trade flow in order to assure necessary revenue is collected.

With a target to enable the sector to contribute at least 10 percent to the country’s GDP, Eng. Lwamo said TMC was well prepared to work out a number of initiatives to curb any loophole for minerals smuggling.

“We will also set a tight and vigilant mechanism to assure the minerals are being sold in accordance with the set regulations, and not otherwise,” he added.

The future plan, according to him, is also to establish and improve the regional mineral offices and the relevant laboratories.