Ambassador Sefue insists on ‘give-and-take’ mode of PPP

DAR ES SALAAM: FORMER Chief Secretary, Ambassador Ombeni Sefue, has argued that the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) has to be in form of ‘give-and-take’ approach, operating under mutual trust.

“There is a big challenge of trusting each other, but we forget that collaboration between public and private sector has to be a win-win situation.

“If each part does not trust the other, that is not good cooperation in building the nation.

There should be system and procedure for mutual talks as well as give and take,” Ambassador Sefue remarked over the weekend.

He was speaking in Dar es Salaam during the 27th Annual Research Workshop organised by the Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA), Bank of Tanzania (BoT), Gatsby Africa and President’s Office (Investment and Planning).

Commenting, Mr James Foster, Learning Director of Gatsby Africa, said their organisation has been supporting private sector development in Tanzania.

“We need to understand the private sector from the government’s perspective, what private sector wants to invest and where is going to get money,” Mr Foster argued.

On his part, Mr Adam Zungu, Executive Secretary of the Textiles and Garments Manufacturers Association (TEGAMAT) stressed on participation of locals when foreigner establish investments in the country.

“It is unacceptable that an investor comes from outside and invests big project and holds shares by 100 per cent, there must be locals’ involvement through shareholding. There must be locals so that technology is transferred to locals,” he argued.

Joint venture projects are important, but there should be laws for enforcement, he said: arguing: “When shareholders are locals, the dividend would remain in Tanzania.”

He elaborated that private sector is key to economy, be it fishermen, farmers, livestock keepers etc.

“These people must be engaged. If we make good policies that involve them, they will bring positive results,” he added.