TanzaniteOne rejects calls to give 50pc stake to govt firm

[BAK]

TanzaniteOne rejects calls to give 50pc stake to govt firm

By ADAM IHUCHA Special Correspondent
THE EAST AFRICAN

Posted Saturday, October 13 2012 at 18:32

In Summary
•TanzaniteOne has rejected a demand by the government to relinquish half of its shares to the State Mining Corporation (Stamico), setting the stage for a major dispute.
•The firm offered to offload 20 per cent of its shares through an IPO at the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange.
•The new Mining Act of 2010, which became effective this year, requires foreign-owned companies to cede 50 per cent of their stake to the public or lose their mining permit.

A new mining law, requiring foreign-owned companies to cede a 50 per cent stake to the public in Tanzania, is threatening to cripple the thriving $500 million Tanzanite gemstone business.

One company, TanzaniteOne, has rejected a demand by the government to relinquish half of its shares to the State Mining Corporation (Stamico), setting the stage for a major dispute.

TanzaniteOne, a multinational listed on the London Stock Exchange, said it could not dispossess its investors of their shares.

Instead, the firm, which extracts Tanzanite in the Mererani Hills, about 40 kilometres southeast of Arusha, offered to offload 20 per cent of its shares through an IPO at the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange.

Executive chairman Ami Mpungwe said the firm’s shareholders comprised institutions like pension funds, whose interests could not be taken for granted. They could not be dispossessed of their shares through a “simple announcement.”

But Mr Mpungwe said the company was negotiating a solution with the State.

The new Mining Act of 2010, which became effective this year, requires foreign-owned companies to cede 50 per cent of their stake to the public or lose their mining permit.

The matter is urgent for TanzaniteOne, as its licence expired in August 2012 and the government is threatening not to renew it until the firm surrenders the 50 per cent shares.

Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals Stephen Masele told The EastAfrican that the firm must relinquish the stake to Stamico as a precondition for renewing its operating licence.

“The company wants the state to buy the shares, but our position is that the firm ought to offload the stocks to Stamico free of charge or else lose the licence,” said Mr Masele.

The new law stipulates that gemstones will be exclusively mined by Tanzanian nationals, unless the mining requires heavy investments and sophisticated technology, where foreign investors will be allowed, but on condition they offload 50 per cent of their shares to the public.

Lusekelo Mwakalukwa TanzaniteOne corporate governance manager told The EastAfrican that the company has invested heavily in its designated mining block and has just started to realise profits.

He adds that the firm has also been paying revenue, including corporate taxes, royalties and other related income to the government.

Increased production

Bernard Olivier, chief executive officer of Richland Resources, which owns TanzaniteOne, says production at the mine is still rising at a record 2.4 million carats in 2011 with decent grades.

The firm employs 650 people and has paid $26 million in tax over the past five years.

Cash costs per carat are rising too, however, from $1.41 a carat in 2005 to $3.69 in 2010. While the company made a $6 million profit in 2008, today that figure is less than $1 million. Mr Olivier says prices are still 20 per cent below those of 2008.

TanzaniteOne, operating in an eight square km block ‘C’ tanzanite site, planned to produce and export 2.5 million carats worth $24 million in 2012.

Records show that TanzaniteOne has invested over $100 million, but analysts say the company has provided marginal contributions to the communities surrounding its area of operation.

“I don’t see a significant impact of TanzaniteOne’s investment on nearby communities,” said Dr Gasper Mpehongwa, a lecturer in development studies at Tumaini University.

However, records show that TanzaniteOne provides over 2,000 villagers and 4,500 cattle with water at Neisinyai village in Mererani Hills.

 

[Jasusi]

Wafukuzwe tu.

 

[BAK]

Naunga mkono hoja Mkuu Jasusi, ngoja tuone kama DHAIFU ana ubavu wa kuwafukuza hawa na kampuni nyingine yoyote ambayo haitakuwa tayari kutii sheria mpya ya uchimbaji wa madini.

Wafukuzwe tu.

 

[King’asti]

Hiyo however kwenye last paragraph haina maana hata moja! Hapo tunaongelea visima 10 vilivyochimbwa kwa milioni 200 tu! That is absolutely nothing! Sera zinazotengenezwa kwa sasa (strategic environmental assessment) kwa kila sekta zinapaswa kubana wawekezaji legally kuweka plans za corporate social responsibility. Kwenye hili inapaswa mkataba uwe kati ya wawekezaji na wanajamii under legal supervision kutoka kwa wataalamu wa ofisi ya makamu wa rais (inayosimamia environmental management act ya 2004). Na kuwe na nguvu ya kisheria kipengele hata kimoja kikikiukwa wapelekwe mahakamani na adhabu mojawapo iwe kurevoke hati ya biashara. Tunacheza rede ya chupa na kujisifia hapa!

 

[Kongosho]

asije kuwa Masele karopoka kabla ya kuangalia MOU na serikali, afterall mining act ilisemwa ita-affect migodi mipya na si ya zamani.

Kama mkataba ni valid na into effect hakuna power ya kunegotiate labda kwa huruma ya mwekezaji tu

Lets wait and see.

Hii ni drama tu for publicity.

 

[Fredrick Sanga]

If they don't want to comply they should back off.

 

[Fredrick Sanga]

asije kuwa Masele karopoka kabla ya kuangalia MOU na serikali, afterall mining act ilisemwa ita-affect migodi mipya na si ya zamani.

Kama mkataba ni valid na into effect hakuna power ya kunegotiate labda kwa huruma ya mwekezaji tu

Lets wait and see.

Hii ni drama tu for publicity.

Mkataba ulishaisha, huu ni mpya.

 

[Kongosho]

kuna tofauti kati ya MOU na Mining licence.

Kilichoisha na wanatakiwa kurenewe ni mining licence na si mou.

Afu kumbuka, a mining licence has to be renewed a year before its expiry, kama wamerenew august 2012 inamaanisha leseni itakufa 2013.

Afu kisheria, kama ukirenewe ndani ya muda na hujavunja masharti ni wajibu wa serikali kukupa leseni yako.

Je, hivi negotiations zitachukuliwa wamevunja masharti? Yapi? Kwa mou ipi? Kwa terms zipi za leseni maana wanatumikia ya zamani.

Mkataba ulishaisha, huu ni mpya.

 

[mgomba101]

Tanzania under CCM imekuwa shamba la bibi,inasemekana Riz1 ana hisa tanzanite one.Jiulize hiyo jeuri inatoka wapi??

 

[Ndinani]

Ni sawa na kupanga nyumba kwa mkataba; muda mliokubaliana ukiisha , ni hiari ya mwenye nyumba kukuruhusu uendelee kukaa kwa masharti anayotaka yeye au uondoke kama huwezi kukidhi masharti!! Hao shareholders kwani hawakujua kuwa kuna ukomo wa leseni ya kuchimba? Waache waondoke; wananchi watachimba wenyewe mali yao.

 

[Sijali]

Hebu nielimisheni: kwa nini Tanzaniaa inahitajia wageni kuchimba dhahabu yake, kisha waichukue wakauze na walipe 3%? Inaingilika akilini hili? Masharti yangu yangekuwa, kama mwataka kuchimba dhahabu yetu at least tugawane nusu kwa nusu kila mkipatacho. Hii kusema gharama za uchimbaji nk kwa kweli haingiliki akilini. Mtu yeyote anapoanza biashara yeyote ni juu yake ku-invest katika nyezo za business yake, na yeye ndiye responsible wa gharama hizo. Haiwezekani niwa charge watu pesa zaidi ya kuwauzia unga kwa vile eti nimegharimia kujenga duka! Hakuna mtu anayemlazimisha mwingine kufanya business.

Hii mantiki hakuna hata anayefikiria? Mi nadhani Tanzania ingefanya hivi:

1- Invest katika kujenga Chuo Kikuu cha madini (sijui kama kipo na hakitumiwi ipasavyo?)
2- Nunua, azima, au kopa zana za uchimbaji- siku hizi hata watu binafsi wanazo Ulaya, China n.k.
3-Unda mashirika au cooperatives wape machine, wataalamu na mikopo ya kuanzia business.
4- Acha wachimbe madini kwa sharti 70% waiuzie serikali
5- Tanzania isishughulike kusafirisha dhahaabu: soko kuu liwe Tanzania kwenyewe. Ikiwa hata Sudan wana kiwanda cha kusafishia dhahabu Tanzania inashindwa nini?
6- Iruhusu bishara ya dhahabu kwa wananchi wake. Yaani wananchi waweze kununua dhahabu kwenye maduka ya serikali na waweze kuiuza nchi jirani au popote
Ili Tanzania na Afrika ziendelee inabidi tufikirie namna nyingine, siyo kuganda katika sera zilizopo, hizi zimewekwa na mataifa mengine kwa maendeleo yao, haziwezi kuwa nyenzo sahihi za maendeleo yetu. Tatizo wakuu wetu wanasoma nje na wakirudi wamepikwa kuendeleza mifumo ya wazungu na kuona hayo ndio maenedeleo na 'ustaarabu'. Wengine hawawezi hata kufikiria kamwe!

 

[Atukilia]

yaani kuwapa wana kijiji maji ya bomba wanaona jambo kubwa sana? Mbona watu binafsi wanagawa maji bure maeneo mengi tu dar? Walipe kodi tutapeleka wenyewe maji

 

[FJM]

Sheria mpya inasema 50%, huyo Ami Mpungwe analeta dhihaka ya 20%! Halafu tunaambiwa tatizo la mikataba mibovu ya ni kwa sababu ya elimu ya wataalam wetu! Watanzania kama huyu Ami Mpungwe ndio wamefilisi hii nchi.

Angalia watu waliopoga kelele mara Prof Muhongo aliposema mikataba iangaliwe upya!

 

[BAK]

Let's wait and see if Tanzania Government has the ability to protect Tanzanians' benefits.

asije kuwa Masele karopoka kabla ya kuangalia MOU na serikali, afterall mining act ilisemwa ita-affect migodi mipya na si ya zamani.

Kama mkataba ni valid na into effect hakuna power ya kunegotiate labda kwa huruma ya mwekezaji tu

Lets wait and see.

Hii ni drama tu for publicity.

 

[Mwanasazi]

Naunga mkono hoja Mkuu Jasusi, ngoja tuone kama DHAIFU ana ubavu wa kuwafukuza hawa na kampuni nyingine yoyote ambayo haitakuwa tayari kutii sheria mpya ya uchimbaji wa madini.

kweli we jasusi bora wafukuzwe tu eeenh

 

[Mwanasazi]

Hebu nielimisheni: kwa nini Tanzaniaa inahitajia wageni kuchimba dhahabu yake, kisha waichukue wakauze na walipe 3%? Inaingilika akilini hili? Masharti yangu yangekuwa, kama mwataka kuchimba dhahabu yetu at least tugawane nusu kwa nusu kila mkipatacho. Hii kusema gharama za uchimbaji nk kwa kweli haingiliki akilini. Mtu yeyote anapoanza biashara yeyote ni juu yake ku-invest katika nyezo za business yake, na yeye ndiye responsible wa gharama hizo. Haiwezekani niwa charge watu pesa zaidi ya kuwauzia unga kwa vile eti nimegharimia kujenga duka! Hakuna mtu anayemlazimisha mwingine kufanya business.

Hii mantiki hakuna hata anayefikiria? Mi nadhani Tanzania ingefanya hivi:

1- Invest katika kujenga Chuo Kikuu cha madini (sijui kama kipo na hakitumiwi ipasavyo?)
2- Nunua, azima, au kopa zana za uchimbaji- siku hizi hata watu binafsi wanazo Ulaya, China n.k.
3-Unda mashirika au cooperatives wape machine, wataalamu na mikopo ya kuanzia business.
4- Acha wachimbe madini kwa sharti 70% waiuzie serikali
5- Tanzania isishughulike kusafirisha dhahaabu: soko kuu liwe Tanzania kwenyewe. Ikiwa hata Sudan wana kiwanda cha kusafishia dhahabu Tanzania inashindwa nini?
6- Iruhusu bishara ya dhahabu kwa wananchi wake. Yaani wananchi waweze kununua dhahabu kwenye maduka ya serikali na waweze kuiuza nchi jirani au popote
Ili Tanzania na Afrika ziendelee inabidi tufikirie namna nyingine, siyo kuganda katika sera zilizopo, hizi zimewekwa na mataifa mengine kwa maendeleo yao, haziwezi kuwa nyenzo sahihi za maendeleo yetu. Tatizo wakuu wetu wanasoma nje na wakirudi wamepikwa kuendeleza mifumo ya wazungu na kuona hayo ndio maenedeleo na 'ustaarabu'. Wengine hawawezi hata kufikiria kamwe!

safi sana nimeipenda hiyo, lakini unafikiri viongozi hawajui hizo strategy na manufaa yake kwa taifa ? Lakini matumbo yao yanawaumiza na huyu ami bila haya anaamua kuwasaliti wa tz kisa hako kanafasi,

 

[Ndinani]

Hebu nielimisheni: kwa nini Tanzaniaa inahitajia wageni kuchimba dhahabu yake, kisha waichukue wakauze na walipe 3%? Inaingilika akilini hili? Masharti yangu yangekuwa, kama mwataka kuchimba dhahabu yetu at least tugawane nusu kwa nusu kila mkipatacho. Hii kusema gharama za uchimbaji nk kwa kweli haingiliki akilini. Mtu yeyote anapoanza biashara yeyote ni juu yake ku-invest katika nyezo za business yake, na yeye ndiye responsible wa gharama hizo. Haiwezekani niwa charge watu pesa zaidi ya kuwauzia unga kwa vile eti nimegharimia kujenga duka! Hakuna mtu anayemlazimisha mwingine kufanya business.

Hii mantiki hakuna hata anayefikiria? Mi nadhani Tanzania ingefanya hivi:

1- Invest katika kujenga Chuo Kikuu cha madini (sijui kama kipo na hakitumiwi ipasavyo?)
2- Nunua, azima, au kopa zana za uchimbaji- siku hizi hata watu binafsi wanazo Ulaya, China n.k.
3-Unda mashirika au cooperatives wape machine, wataalamu na mikopo ya kuanzia business.
4- Acha wachimbe madini kwa sharti 70% waiuzie serikali
5- Tanzania isishughulike kusafirisha dhahaabu: soko kuu liwe Tanzania kwenyewe. Ikiwa hata Sudan wana kiwanda cha kusafishia dhahabu Tanzania inashindwa nini?
6- Iruhusu bishara ya dhahabu kwa wananchi wake. Yaani wananchi waweze kununua dhahabu kwenye maduka ya serikali na waweze kuiuza nchi jirani au popote
Ili Tanzania na Afrika ziendelee inabidi tufikirie namna nyingine, siyo kuganda katika sera zilizopo, hizi zimewekwa na mataifa mengine kwa maendeleo yao, haziwezi kuwa nyenzo sahihi za maendeleo yetu. Tatizo wakuu wetu wanasoma nje na wakirudi wamepikwa kuendeleza mifumo ya wazungu na kuona hayo ndio maenedeleo na 'ustaarabu'. Wengine hawawezi hata kufikiria kamwe!

Nakubaliana na mawazo yako 100%!! Hivi jamani tuliwahi kujiuliza kwanini hata gavana wa BOT sharti awe amekubalika na World Bank na IMF? Kwanini wao ndio watuchagulie watu wao hata kama ni WAtanzania? Mara nyingi wao hufanya hivyo kwa manufaa yao kwani wengi wao ni vikaragosi wao!! N.B. Huyu Ndullu alikuwa mfanyakazi wao kabla ya kumshusha hapa kwa faida yao!! Inflation haipungui na dhahabu yetu hataki kuitumia kama reserves zetu!!

 

[Jasusi]

safi sana nimeipenda hiyo, lakini unafikiri viongozi hawajui hizo strategy na manufaa yake kwa taifa ? Lakini matumbo yao yanawaumiza na huyu ami bila haya anaamua kuwasaliti wa tz kisa hako kanafasi,

Tatizo ni kwamba viongozi wetu wamekubali kuhongwa na makampuni haya na ndiyo sababu yanathubutu kusema hayakubali ubia wa 50%

 

[Jasusi]

Sheria mpya inasema 50%, huyo Ami Mpungwe analeta dhihaka ya 20%! Halafu tunaambiwa tatizo la mikataba mibovu ya ni kwa sababu ya elimu ya wataalam wetu! Watanzania kama huyu Ami Mpungwe ndio wamefilisi hii nchi.

Angalia watu waliopoga kelele mara Prof Muhongo aliposema mikataba iangaliwe upya!

Akiwemo mwenzetu Zitto Kabwe!

 

[MVENGEVENGE]

Huyu Ami mpungwe ndie aliewaleta makaburu wote wenye investment kubwa wakati akiwa balozi africa ya kusini na akalipwa fadhila ya kuwa katika kila bodi za makampuni karibu yote yaliyoko hapa, jamaa wengi serikalini wako mfukoni mwake kwa hiyo hili litapindishwa wait and see !!!