Mining Commission urges mining firms buy local equipment

DAR ES SALAAM: MINING Commission has urged mining companies to buy locally made equipment for carrying out mining activities that will help boost the manufacturing sector and contribute to economic growth.

The Director of Audit and Business of the Mining Commission, Andrew Mgaya said during a visit to the Max Steel Limited located in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday that most of the mining equipment made locally are of high quality and meet the required standards in mining operations.

“I urge the stakeholders in the mining industry to debunk the myth that imported equipment is better than locally made mining equipment. But certainly, the mining equipment manufactured domestically is of high standards,” he said.

He said the commission will continue to support and educate stakeholders in the mining sector to make sure that they buy locally-made mining equipment instead of imported ones.

He therefore urged Max Steel Limited to visit mining companies and provide them with a thorough understanding of the tools they manufacture and stop importing them.

He added that the commission will keep fostering an atmosphere that encourages foreign investment to draw in more investors, particularly in the mining industry, since Tanzanians stand to gain from the prospects presented by large-scale foreign investment.

For his part, Max Steel Limited Chief Executive Officer, Kishan Suchak said their objective is to offer services that adhere to safety standards and regulations in the mining, oil and gas, construction, energy transportation, communication, and agricultural sectors.

“In all these fields, we are involved in providing services from the initial research and construction, that is, from the beginning of the project to the end,” he said.

“The goal is to ensure that equipment in all these fields is produced here in the country by locals because currently 90 per cent of the equipment is imported from China, Turkey, or South Africa,” he added.

If this goal is accomplished, he said it will spur national development by enhancing indigenous capabilities and providing jobs to Tanzanians.