Minister Sospeter Muhongo: THE ARROGANT

[CRITICAL MIND]

Politicians love to claim that ultimately they act in the national interest and not out of selfishness or spite. It becomes harder and harder to make this case in the wake of the comments from the likes of Sospeter Muhongo

​

[h=1]Muhongo shatters oil dream for locals[/h]


By Veneranda Sumila ,Alawi Masare The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. Once upon a time, there was a dream that local investors would be given a priority during the fourth licensing of natural gas exploration blocks scheduled for tomorrow, but that won’t be.



Last month, there was a heated debate on the need to include local investors in the lucrative oil business, with some prominent businesspeople agitating for special consideration for citizens of this country.



Yesterday, however, the minister for Minerals and Energy, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, ruled out any possibility of giving any favours to locals, ostensibly to facilitate their participation in the emerging sector valued at $430 billion.



The minister said Tanzanians are represented by the state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and nobody should expect personal favours.



Mr David Christian, a businessman, commented that local participation should rope in the private sector and pension funds, not just the state-run TPDC.



Prof Muhongo responded: “This issue is not open for discussion. If any local businessman and the pension funds you are talking about feel that they should participate in oil and gas exploration, let them go to the website and fill forms to buy the $750,000 worth of tenders. Maybe some of you guys want favours; if that is the case, TPDC is there to represent you.”

This comes at a time when Tanzania plans to issue eight licences for oil and gas exploration blocks tomorrow as the country seeks to increase its commercially-viable natural gas reserve finds to 200 trillion cubic feet (tcf) come 2015. Some 43 tcf have already been located.



There has been a demand by the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) that the licensing be suspended until the oil and gas policy which is now being prepared is in place, in order to accommodate substantial local participation. The outspoken Kigoma North MP, Mr Zitto Kabwe (Chadema), is also on record as saying it would be premature to issue new licences under the present circumstances.



However, Prof Muhongo said the licensing is regulated by the Petroleum Act of 1980. According to him, the draft policy was in final stages and has already been approved by the Cabinet.



And controversy arose again yesterday during a Question and Answer session at the second Tanzanian Oil and Gas Conference, when Prof Muhongo said TPDC’s participation was the same as that of Tanzanians for and at some stage the corporation will be a majority shareholder in oil and gas projects.



About 600 people attended the two-day conference, including giant oil and gas exploration companies like Statoil, British Gas (BG), Petrobrass, Shell, Wentworth Resources, Dodsal and Ophir Energy.



Apparently, Prof Muhongo’s sentiments may be based on the fact that

most of the world’s successful oil and gas firms are those in which the state has a major stake.

In the case of Shell Oil for example, the government of Saudi Arabia has a stake through its state-owned company, Saudi Aramco.



Similarly, the Norway government owns a 67 per cent stake in Statoil while the remaining shares are owned by the public through the stock market. And the Brazilian government directly owns 54 per cent of shares in Petrobras.



As of British Gas, though the company has now been privatised, the story remains that it was once a state-owned company until 1986 when its shares were floated at the London Stock Exchange (LSE).



The licensing round taking place tomorrow involves Seven Deep Sea Offshore Blocks and the Lake Tanganyika North Offshore Block.



The Deep Sea Offshore Blocks are located in water depths of 2,000 to 3,000m each of average size of 3000sqkm adjacent to proven prospective blocks, according to TPDC data.



The Lake Tanganyika North Offshore Block is located in 1,500m water depth along the western arm of the East African Rift System with proven quantities of commercial liquid hydrocarbons.



This is the first licensing round to be held domestically since Tanzania started oil and gas exploration activities in 1952.



Recent discoveries of large amounts of natural gas in Tanzania offer the country a window of opportunity with the contribution of the sector to the Growth Domestic Product (GDP) expected to be two to three per cent.



Presenting a paper yesterday, Mr Philip Mpango, the executive secretary - President’s Office Planning Commission, said it is estimated that government revenues through taxes and returns to the planned national gas company, will yield state revenue of $1-2 billion a year, equivalent to 3 per cent of the GDP.



Statistics indicates that Tanzania has a tremendous gas wealth at its disposal with 2.3 tcf of proven gas reserves and an estimated 43.1 tcf of onshore and offshore reserves.



However, experts warn that the government should consider intergenerational equity of the non-renewable nature of natural resources so as to avoid spending the entire wealth on temporary higher consumption for the current generation.

Muhongo shatters oil dream for locals - National - thecitizen.co.tz

 

[habariyamujini]

muhongo lazima awapigeni sana fimbo za mgongo. utendaji wake uliotukuka ndio mwiba kwenu

 

[habariyamujini]

im for muhongo, the nationalist hero

 

[habariyamujini]

you, who like irregularities, unlawful doings, must hate muhongo..but we who follow the laws of the land must love muhongo.

 

[Lokissa]

tuache usanii
hakuna mtanzania anaeweza kuwekeza kwenye mafuta na gas
Kina Mengi wanataka vitalu ili wavifanyie udalali kwa makampuni ya nje.
makampuni kama statoil na xxenomobil yana mitaji mikubwa sana
na wanapata support pia katika nchi zao interms of loans
Hizo $430 billion mTanzania gani anazo???
Tuwe wakweli, labda waungane kina Mengi kumi wataweza kuwa na installation facilities za block moja. Lazima pia iangaliwe capacity,previous works katika gas field nk..
waziri sio arrogant kasema ukweli

 

[isotope]

Apparently, Prof Muhongo's sentiments may be based on the fact that most of the world's successful oil and gas firms are those in which the state has a major stake.

In the case of Shell Oil for example, the government of Saudi Arabia has a stake through its state-owned company, Saudi Aramco.
Similarly, the Norway government owns a 67 per cent stake in Statoil while the remaining shares are owned by the public through the stock market. And the Brazilian government directly owns 54 per cent of shares in Petrobras.
As of British Gas, though the company has now been privatised, the story remains that it was once a state-owned company until 1986 when its shares were floated at the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
The licensing round taking place tomorrow involves Seven Deep Sea Offshore Blocks and the Lake Tanganyika North Offshore Block.

Hili ndo tatizo la wandishi wetu, wanaingiza ushabiki kwenye masuala mhimu, sijui wanafaidika na nini. Kuna sera yoyote inayosema TPDC ndo iwe majority shareholder au ni utashi wa Mhongo tu. Hatutaki kuongozwa kwa utashi wa mtu, tunataka kuongozwa kwa sera na sheria, ili mtendaji yoyote akienda kinyume awajibishwe kwa kukiuka sera na sheria zilizopo.

 

[MAWERE]

napita

 

[isotope]

tuache usanii
hakuna mtanzania anaeweza kuwekeza kwenye mafuta na gas
Kina Mengi wanataka vitalu ili wavifanyie udalali kwa makampuni ya nje.
makampuni kama statol na xxenobili yana mitaji mikubwa sana
na wanapata support pia katika nchi zao interms of loans
Hizo $430 billion mTanzania gani anazo???
Tuwe wakweli, labda waungane kina Mengi kumi wataweza kuwa na installation facilities za block moja. Lazima pia iangaliwe capacity,previous works katika gas field nk..
waziri sio arrogant kasema ukweli

Unless huo utafutaji wa mafuta na gesi uwe na lengo la kupunguza mgogoro na zanzibar itakapojitenga, vinginevya hakuna sababu ya hizo haraka haraka za kugawa nchi vipande vipande kwa wageni huku ukiwabeza wazawa.

 

[profkobayashi]

I wish nimwone huyu Muhongo kwenye cabinet meetings...

atakuwa anawaburuza wenzake sana mbele ya JK

 

[mshunami]

Not only arrogant but ignorant!

 

[Money Stunna]

watanzania ampendi kuambiwa ukweli pesa mlizonazo ni za kuwekeza kwenye juice,mandazi, unga, mchele na ice cream.

ni mtanzania gani mwenye uwezo wa kutoa dolla billion 2 kuwekeza?

uyo mengi anapigania masilahi yake awe dalali. mwenyewe ashakiri mtaji wa pesa na teknolojia hawana.

biashara mnayoweza ni nguo, juice, soda na ice cream. nchi masikin sana hii.

bajeti ya wallmart tu inazidi nchi zote za africa mashariki.

uyo mengi utajiri wake amezidiwa na ata hakina 50 cent, birdman, madona. dr dree. beyonce, jayz p didy, lil wayne, master p etc.

hivi mitaji ya gas mnaijua?

 

[calmdowndear]

kuna ubaya gani sheria zikawekwa wazi kwanza?

 

[Tata]

muhongo lazima awapigeni sana fimbo za mgongo. utendaji wake uliotukuka ndio mwiba kwenu

Watanzania watu wa ajabu sana. Wanasiasa wakiwadanganya wanalalamika kuwa ahadi hazitimii. Akitokea mwanasiasa anawaambia ukweli usiokuwa na chenga na bila ya kupepesa macho kama Prof Muhongo wanalalamika kuwa kawatukana. Sasa sijui walitaka Muhongo awadanganye kuwa Serikali itawapa hawa madalali vitalu na mitaji wakachimbe gesi?

 

[Kiranga]

Watanzania watu wa ajabu sana. Wanasiasa wakiwadanganya wanalalamika kuwa ahadi hazitimii. Akitokea mwanasiasa anawaambia ukweli usiokuwa na chenga na bila ya kupepesa macho kama Prof Muhongo wanalalamika kuwa kawatukana. Sasa sijui walitaka Muhongo awadanganye kuwa Serikali itawapa hawa madalali vitalu na mitaji wakachimbe gesi?

Angetaka ukweli angesema uongozi umeshindwa kujenga mazingira ya kuwawezesha wazawa kuwekeza katika biashara kubwa na kujiuzulu.

Hapo ningemuona amesema ukweli na kafanya kitu cha heshima.

Kabla ya kusema hilo bado hajasema ukweli.

 

[timbilimu]

Watanzania watu wa ajabu sana. Wanasiasa wakiwadanganya wanalalamika kuwa ahadi hazitimii. Akitokea mwanasiasa anawaambia ukweli usiokuwa na chenga na bila ya kupepesa macho kama Prof Muhongo wanalalamika kuwa kawatukana. Sasa sijui walitaka Muhongo awadanganye kuwa Serikali itawapa hawa madalali vitalu na mitaji wakachimbe gesi?

Tatizo la elimu ndogo ya shule na vyuo vya kata ndio maana hujui mzee Mengi anapigania nini!

 

[Kiranga]

tuache usanii
hakuna mtanzania anaeweza kuwekeza kwenye mafuta na gas
Kina Mengi wanataka vitalu ili wavifanyie udalali kwa makampuni ya nje.
makampuni kama statoil na xxenomobil yana mitaji mikubwa sana
na wanapata support pia katika nchi zao interms of loans
Hizo $430 billion mTanzania gani anazo???
Tuwe wakweli, labda waungane kina Mengi kumi wataweza kuwa na installation facilities za block moja. Lazima pia iangaliwe capacity,previous works katika gas field nk..
waziri sio arrogant kasema ukweli

Tatizo unafikiri hii ni biashara ya mandazi, kuifanya mtaji lazima uwe nao cash.

Unajua hayo ma big bank ya kimataifa yako worth kiasi gani?

Kama criteria ni dollar figure hata hayo mabenki yangeshindwa kutoa mikopo.

Kama watanzania wameshindwa kuwa na capacity miaka hamsini na kitu ya uongozi wa CCM, uongozi unasema hili kwa kukenua meno tu?

Kama vile wao si sehemu ya tatizo hapa?

Serikali mpaka sasa ina vision gani ya kujenga capacity in the next 50 years? Au watu wanaangalia matumbo yao tu?

 

[timbilimu]

you, who like irregularities, unlawful doings, must hate muhongo..but we who follow the laws of the land must love muhongo.

Mengi angekua mvaa kipedo usinge changia huu utumbo!

 

[bantulile]

Usitegemee mtu afanye biashara ya uwekezaji mkubwa kiasi hiki kwa pesa zake mfukoni. Investors wengi wanakopa kwenye mabenki na mengine hupewa ruzuku na serikali zao na wengine serikali zinanunua shares.
Ni serikali yetu tu inayowatelekeza wananchi wake na kuwakimbilia wawekezaji wa nje

watanzania ampendi kuambiwa ukweli pesa mlizonazo ni za kuwekeza kwenye juice,mandazi, unga, mchele na ice cream.

ni mtanzania gani mwenye uwezo wa kutoa dolla billion 2 kuwekeza?

uyo mengi anapigania masilahi yake awe dalali. mwenyewe ashakiri mtaji wa pesa na teknolojia hawana.

biashara mnayoweza ni nguo, juice, soda na ice cream. nchi masikin sana hii.

bajeti ya wallmart tu inazidi nchi zote za africa mashariki.

uyo mengi utajiri wake amezidiwa na ata hakina 50 cent, birdman, madona. dr dree. beyonce, jayz p didy, lil wayne, master p etc.

hivi mitaji ya gas mnaijua?

 

[Jadi]

you, who like irregularities, unlawful doings, must hate muhongo..but we who follow the laws of the land must love muhongo.

Acheni kuchekelea maana hiyo 1-2 billion Tshs ni kitu gani kwa mwaka?? Upuuzi tu bora waiache tu watachimba wajukuu

 

[Lokissa]

tumia ubongo wako utaelewa tu ndugu
bank gani itakayoweza kumkopesha mtanzania mmoja kiasi hicho cha fedha?
do u think it is easy like that????
Ok hata akikopeshwa Mengi anao mainjinia wa kumfanyia PID na PDO? ataweza kuwaipa mainjinia wa nje?
tunao wasomi katika fani hiyo?
ili kuweza kupatiwa mikopo lazima bank zinaangalia technical competence and financial capacity yake, previous expirience katika gas,applicants plan for exploration na expolitation (plani ya mwombaji katika utafutaji na uchimbaji wa gas, ni mtanzania gani mwenye hivi vigezo? Mfano Mengi mtaji wake ni Bilion 300 na kitu kama sijakosea huyu hajafika hata robo ya kuweza kukopeshwa..
watanzania wakiambiwa waungane waform joint venture hawataki ubinafsi mwingi, wataweza wapi?
serikali ya tanzania tunajua uwezo wa kuwakopesha watu haina kwa sasa,,
so we still depend on foreign companies o exploit our resources.
Ninachopinga JK leo kasema tutapewa 65% kisha 35% watachukua wao
This is not possible kabisa. kwa nchi kama Norway serikali inachukua only 28% kama income tax ya gas na 50% ni special tax inayotozwa kutokana na shughuli zote za uzalishaji kama kuweka mitambo,kusafirisha gas,waajiriwa katika mitambo hiyo ya gas,nk...jumla 78%...na katika makampuni hayo serikali chini ya statoil ndio wanakuwa operator wa hiyo gas wanajua kila kinachoendelea. statoil ni operator and at the sama time ni kampuni ya uchimbaji nao wanakua ndani.
I dont know kama Mr President ameongea kwa kushauriwa au ndio kaahidiwa hivo na makampuni haya ya nje kitu ambacho kwao hawalipi hivo.
kwa sasa serikali ihangaike kusomesha wazawa ili baadae waje kuitumikia serikali na sheria madhubuti inahitajika.

Tatizo unafikiri hii ni biashara ya mandazi, kuifanya mtaji lazima uwe nao cash.

Unajua hayo ma big bank ya kimataifa yako worth kiasi gani?

Kama criteria ni dollar figure hata hayo mabenki yangeshindwa kutoa mikopo.

Kama watanzania wameshindwa kuwa na capacity miaka hamsini na kitu ya uongozi wa CCM, uongozi unasema hili kwa kukenua meno tu?

Kama vile wao si sehemu ya tatizo hapa?

Serikali mpaka sasa ina vision gani ya kujenga capacity in the next 50 years? Au watu wanaangalia matumbo yao tu?