In one year, Tanzania lost 15bn/- in smuggled minerals - TMAA

By Stella Jimmy

t

Tanzania Minerals Audit Agency (TMAA)

Smuggled minerals worth 15bn/- have been seized by the Tanzania Minerals Audit Agency (TMAA) in the course of inspections conducted over one year period between September of last year and October this year.

However, the practice remains perverse because, this year, in just one month, September to October several people were arrested in five incidents where minerals worth 480m/- were again seized.

TMAA Communication Officer, Eng. Yisambi Shiwa is calling on the public to report any suspicious incidents to help arrest the culprits.

As for revenue collected from the mineral sector, Shiwa said the Agency in collaboration with Tanzania Revenue Authority collected 4.8bn/- in income Tax from Geita Gold Mine alone in the month of September this year.

To date, Geita Gold Mine has paid a total of 304.2b/- in income tax since it commenced operations in the country, Resolute 97b/- and Tulawaka Gold Mine 77.4bn/-.

The Agency in collaboration with Minerals Office Eastern Zone also conducted auditing in Dar es Salaam and Coast Region that helped increase government revenue.

“In the period between September and October this year, the Agency enabled the Ministry of Energy and Minerals to collect 215m/- in royalty,” Shiwa said.

Since the auditing started in 2011, a total of 2.25 bn/- has been collected in royalties which is a huge amount of money compared to the low 3m/- collected by the Mineral office Eastern Zone in previous years before TMAA came into operation.

Following this success, the Agency has started similar auditing in Mwanza, Dodoma and Singida.

TMAA Director for Minerals Production and Export Monitoring, Eng Liberatus Chizuzu said that currently the sector contributes about 3.2 percent to the national income but if such inspections and trainings to police officers at boarders will be boosted by the government coupled with public support, then the sector will be able to contribute even more.

TMAA Research and Planning Program Manager, Eng. Julius Moshi said that the Agency faces a major challenge at boarder areas where it says it is very hard to conduct inspections due to remoteness and closeness to neighbouring countries with deferring regulations.

“Areas like Horiri, have about 350 remote roads making it very difficult to identify and arrest those who get involved in mineral smuggling, other areas include Tarakea and Namanga as well as areas close to lakes which are also used to smuggle minerals out of the country.” 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN