EPZA urges councils to allocate land for industries

TANZANIA: THE Export and Processing Authority (EPZA) has encouraged district councils to set aside land for attracting local and foreign investors to invest in processing industries for value addition.

The call was made by EPZA Director General Charles Itembe during the tour to make follow-up and evaluation of investors licensed by EPZA to pursue investments in Export Processing Zones (EPZ) and Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in Mwanza, Geita, Shinyanga, Tabora and Singida regions.

“The EPZ and SEZ areas developed with basic infrastructures can play a fundamental role in attracting local and global investors to invest in the industrial sector,” he said while speaking at different times with assistant regional administrative secretaries-investment, industries and business in Mwanza, Geita and Tabora regions.

He said one of the benefits of setting aside land for EPZ and SEZ industrial investments for the district councils is rent revenue, employment opportunities for the local people in their area, attracting capital and increasing exports.

Also, the initiative can play a key role in linking agricultural raw materials, mining, fishing and forestry with the processing industries which are fundamental in value addition.

Mr Itembe urged Mwanza, Geita and Tabora regions which have only one investor licensed by EPZA to work closely with the authority (EPZA) by creating a friendly environment for attracting and promoting more local and foreign investors.

On the other side, the EPZA DG commended Geita Town Council, Ilemela Municipal Council, and Kahama Township Council for setting aside areas for investment with their development Master Plan.

He urged other councils in the country to borrow a leaf from Geita, Ilemela and Kahama to set aside land for attracting industrial investments.

Apart from making follow-ups and evaluations of investors with EPZ and SEZ licences, Mr Itembe also visited regions and district councils to offer education and awareness on the EPZA responsibilities and policy goals.

Also, he used the opportunity to encourage local governments and regional administration to participate and collaborate with EPZA in investing in the SEZ to accrue immense benefits including jobs for the local people.

Concluding the tour in these regions, Mr Itembe urged the regional and district administrations to provide the EPZA with the Regional Consultative Council timetable so that its experts can take part in the meetings to offer awareness of its functions and investments in EPZ and SEZ.

“The EPZA will collaborate with the regional and district administration to promote investment opportunities in the respective regions,” he stressed.

Furthermore, the EPZA boss called upon the regional and district officials to continue serving investors under EPZA as per the regulations, including the Local Government Finance Act 2019 as a way to support President Samia Suluhu Hassan efforts to attract more investors into the country.

“The EPZA licences have terms of reference for investors to follow including the Corporate Social Responsibility in the councils and municipals where the investor is found. Thus, officials in the respective areas should ensure that investors honour the CSR responsibility,” he said.

Also, Mr Itembe visited Nyashimbi SEZ in Kahama, Nyamhongolo in Ilemela and the industrial park in Bombambili, Geita Town.