EPZA develops system to serve better investors

EFFORTS to create a friendly environment in the country has got new impetus after the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) developed a Business Facilitation Portal that provides access to information and investment procedures at their fingerprint.

The EPZA Director General, Mr Charles Itembe said development of the new system supports President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s efforts in making Tanzania the most preferable investment destination.

“We commend President Samia for her relentless efforts in promoting the country’s investment opportunities and making clear that investing in the country is a reality,” he said during a training on the new system to about 45 investors from Dar es Salaam region, recently.

He said the system will link EPZA with investors as well as institutions like the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), Tanzania Immigration Department and Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).

He said the system which is web based allow an investor to lodge various documents including license application and permits anywhere without visiting the EPZA offices.

“Through the system which has been developed by local experts, an investor can access all necessary information and since it provides many modes thus can decide on which to work with,” he said.

Adding; “We received financial support from development partners to make the system which is the best and first in the country to be developed.”

He said the system was made in such a way that can provide many services to investors wishing to start a business-like license.

The EPZA has two types of licenses; namely Export Processing Zones (EPZ) and Special Economic Zones (SEZ), which can further be divided into two categories including developers’ licenses and operators’ licenses.

Also, through the system, the investor’s information can be put in one place making it easy to update them when it is needed.

Mr Itembe said the local experts started to develop the system about a year and a half ago, starting by collecting all the correct information, and the process of mapping that was followed by designing using the local consultants.

He said the system will not only serve investors through the EPZA but will also produce information for other public institutions. He noted that EPZA conducted its first training in Dodoma, where almost 50 investors gathered and were equipped on the functionality of the system.

Speaking on behalf of other investors, an official from TanChoice Limited, Mr Sero Hassan said the system will reduce the time spent going to the EPZA offices to access various services thus cutting down operational costs.

“This will thus enhance our capacity to compete in the market by reducing the cost of production of the goods destined for exports,” he said.