DAR ES SALAAM: THE Ministry of Minerals has said that it is working to ensure the challenges that hinder the development of mining projects are resolved.
According to the ministry, some of the challenges facing the mining projects include road infrastructure and electricity. The remarks were made on Thursday by the Deputy Minister for Minerals, Dr Steven Kiruswa when officiating the third Mining Breakfast Briefing (MBB) held in Dar es Salaam.
The meeting that involved various mining stakeholders from the government and private sector aimed at discussing challenges that face the industry and how to address them.
“Some of the mining projects currently are faced with road and electricity challenges, where through this platform the Ministry of Minerals has facilitated negotiations between TANESCO and a company which owns the projects so that those areas could be connected to power,” he said.
Regarding road infrastructure, Dr Kiruswa said his docket is still working on it in collaboration with the Ministry of Works, adding that even the construction of roads heading to Kabanga Nickel project under Tembo Nickel Company is scheduled to be built in the 2024/2025 financial year.
In a related development, Dr Kiruswa said that the mining sector in the country has continued to improve following the friendly climate set by the government to lure more investors into the sector.
“The mining sector in the country has recorded great success under the sixth phase government, as evidenced by the sector’s continuous rise in GDP contribution, which increased from 6.7 per cent in 2020 to 9.1 per cent in 2023,” he pointed out.
In particular, he added that the success attained by the sector was contributed by the efforts made by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to create conducive environment for investors.
“I would like to thank and congratulate President Dr Samia for opening doors of investment in our country to ensure great efforts are being made to develop the mining industry and boost economic growth,” he said.
He added that the increase in the contribution of the sector’s GDP is also due to development of various research and mining projects in the mining sector.
“I am confident that if we develop mining projects in the country which are in various stages of its development, the contribution of the sector will reach 10 per cent as outlined in the 2025 National Development Vision,” he underlined.
For his part, Engineer Philbert Rweyemamu, Chairman of the Tanzania Chamber of Mines, commended the efforts made by the government to attract investors in the mining industry. He also stressed that for the prosperity of the sector, regulator meetings between the government and stakeholders are inevitable.
