Ministerial bureaucracy irks Mchengerwa

MINISTER for Natural Resources and Tourism Mohamed Mchengerwa has vowed to address unnecessary bureaucracy which derails development projects under his docket.

Speaking here over the weekend, Mr Mchengerwa urged the ministry’s staff to shun procedures that are likely to compromise the progress of the projects.

The Minister, who was gracing the signing ceremony of an agreement on upgrading key infrastructure in the southern tourism circuit, rallied the staff in his Ministry to value and treasure initiatives that seek to keep the 2billion US dollars (about 5tri/-) a year industry afloat.

“Unfortunately, some of the procedures are derailing us,” he said.

The minister further challenged contractors implementing the Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) Project to finish it on time.

“It irks to see many projects requiring for some extension just because those charged with them fall short of completion,” he observed.

Implemented to the tune of 157.29bn/-, REGROW project seeks to seeks to enhance the management of landscapes, conserving and developing nature-based tourism assets, and enhancing economic benefits in and around priority Protected Areas of Southern Tanzania.

Such areas include Nyerere National Park, Ruaha, Mikumi, Udzungwa and the Kilombero landscapes.

The project is envisioned to strengthen the management and improvement of infrastructure in the aforementioned protected areas.

It also seeks to make the southern circuit a low volume but a high yield area.

Earlier on, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) Conservation Commissioner, William Mwakilema informed the Ministry that the southern circuit had its fair share infrastructural challenges.

He however, oozed confidence that REGROW project will address such challenges.

“We are very grateful that REGROW project has come to our rescue to address infrastructural challenges that have been facing us for a long time,” he said.

Among other issues, the REGROW project seeks to increase contribution of the sector in the country’s income through tourism attractions, infrastructure development, supervision of attractions and increasing economic benefits to communities living around conservation areas.