Lunyungu
JF-Expert Member
- Aug 7, 2006
- 8,873
- 1,894
President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday opened Lake Tanganyika Zone Investors Forum with a reminder that meaningful economic development cannot be realised in the absence of serious investment.
He reiterated governments commitment to attracting local and foreign investors, saying he knew of no single country that has developed without investments.
The one-day Investors Forum covered Rukwa, Kigoma and (newly formed) Katavi regions.
The one-day meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda attracted local and foreign investors, diplomats and government officials.
The president said the government was creating an environment which will be conducive to local and foreign investors.
Attracting investors is the governments main agenda because it is very clear that there is no development without investments, he said.
The president said all countries that have developed succeeded in provision of better services and manufacturing through investments.
The government is playing its role through creation of good environment and ensuring provision of social services like water, power and infrastructure, he noted.
In the past, the government was doing everything including ownership of rice farms in Mbarali, village shops, wholesale and retail shops; but now we have left everything to the private sector, the president explained.
Kikwete said in the past, the private sector was considered the agent of imperialists, resulting in many problems. He said the government wasted a lot time watching and supervising manufacturers in the private sector.
We have now embarked on connecting the regions of Rukwa and Kigoma with the rest of the country through improvement of infrastructure. In the past such regions lacked proper roads, railways and airports for their development.
Kikwete said that the government has set aside 490bn/- for improvement of roads in Rukwa region while in Kigoma the government has spent almost twice the amount for infrastructure development.
On power, he said despite the fact that each district had electricity from generators there was a strategic plan by government to connect the regions to the national grid.
He said reliable power will be one of the attractions for investors to set up projects in Kigoma, Rukwa and Katavi regions.
Speaking on behalf of the three regions, Rukwa Regional Commissioner Eng. Stella Manyanya said there were many investment opportunities available in Rukwa, Kigoma and Katavi regions citing the Katavi national park, fertile land for cultivating commercial and food crops.
Manyanya said other potentials included Lake Tanganyika, Lake Rukwa and forest reserves.
For her part Minister of State Prime Ministers Office (Empowerment and Investment) Dr Mary Nagu directed that all the regional commissioners in the country prepare investment plans as done by Rukwa and Kigoma regions so as to enable investors to be informed of the available opportunities in the areas.
Dr Nagu said Tanzania was endowed with many resources but people will not benefit without capital to process them, adding that by collaborating with investors who will provide capital, technology and human resources even the war against poverty will not be successful.
The forum whose theme is Promotion of Lake Tanganyika Zone Investment Potentials aims at informing investors of the opportunities within the three regions.
The regions enjoy an abundance of natural resources comprise fertile land, minerals, game reserves, fish which offer tremendous investment opportunities.
Last week, the TIC Acting Director of Investment Promotion, Mathew Mnali urged investors to exploit the potentials in the Lake Tanganyika zone.
He said TIC has revised its corporate strategic objectives with a view of creating a strong domestic investment base with objectives of raising the profile of the country as the best destination in the region
He said they also focused on increasing investors in key sectors such as power generation and others.
Some of the Ministers who attended the forum included the Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government Authority, George Mkuchika, Minister of State, Prime Ministers Office (Investment & Empowerment), Dr Mary Nagu, State Minister, Presidents Office (Civil Society Relations and Coordination), Stephen Wasira and Regional Commissioners from the regions of Kigoma Rukwa, Shinyanga and Tabora.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
He reiterated governments commitment to attracting local and foreign investors, saying he knew of no single country that has developed without investments.
The one-day Investors Forum covered Rukwa, Kigoma and (newly formed) Katavi regions.
The one-day meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda attracted local and foreign investors, diplomats and government officials.
The president said the government was creating an environment which will be conducive to local and foreign investors.
Attracting investors is the governments main agenda because it is very clear that there is no development without investments, he said.
The president said all countries that have developed succeeded in provision of better services and manufacturing through investments.
The government is playing its role through creation of good environment and ensuring provision of social services like water, power and infrastructure, he noted.
In the past, the government was doing everything including ownership of rice farms in Mbarali, village shops, wholesale and retail shops; but now we have left everything to the private sector, the president explained.
Kikwete said in the past, the private sector was considered the agent of imperialists, resulting in many problems. He said the government wasted a lot time watching and supervising manufacturers in the private sector.
We have now embarked on connecting the regions of Rukwa and Kigoma with the rest of the country through improvement of infrastructure. In the past such regions lacked proper roads, railways and airports for their development.
Kikwete said that the government has set aside 490bn/- for improvement of roads in Rukwa region while in Kigoma the government has spent almost twice the amount for infrastructure development.
On power, he said despite the fact that each district had electricity from generators there was a strategic plan by government to connect the regions to the national grid.
He said reliable power will be one of the attractions for investors to set up projects in Kigoma, Rukwa and Katavi regions.
Speaking on behalf of the three regions, Rukwa Regional Commissioner Eng. Stella Manyanya said there were many investment opportunities available in Rukwa, Kigoma and Katavi regions citing the Katavi national park, fertile land for cultivating commercial and food crops.
Manyanya said other potentials included Lake Tanganyika, Lake Rukwa and forest reserves.
For her part Minister of State Prime Ministers Office (Empowerment and Investment) Dr Mary Nagu directed that all the regional commissioners in the country prepare investment plans as done by Rukwa and Kigoma regions so as to enable investors to be informed of the available opportunities in the areas.
Dr Nagu said Tanzania was endowed with many resources but people will not benefit without capital to process them, adding that by collaborating with investors who will provide capital, technology and human resources even the war against poverty will not be successful.
The forum whose theme is Promotion of Lake Tanganyika Zone Investment Potentials aims at informing investors of the opportunities within the three regions.
The regions enjoy an abundance of natural resources comprise fertile land, minerals, game reserves, fish which offer tremendous investment opportunities.
Last week, the TIC Acting Director of Investment Promotion, Mathew Mnali urged investors to exploit the potentials in the Lake Tanganyika zone.
He said TIC has revised its corporate strategic objectives with a view of creating a strong domestic investment base with objectives of raising the profile of the country as the best destination in the region
He said they also focused on increasing investors in key sectors such as power generation and others.
Some of the Ministers who attended the forum included the Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government Authority, George Mkuchika, Minister of State, Prime Ministers Office (Investment & Empowerment), Dr Mary Nagu, State Minister, Presidents Office (Civil Society Relations and Coordination), Stephen Wasira and Regional Commissioners from the regions of Kigoma Rukwa, Shinyanga and Tabora.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN