Environment to work in will soon be better, Dr Kigoda promises businesses

By Felix Andrew

TCCIA (Dar es Salaam region) chairman Francis Lukwaro (R) speaks at the 25th annual general meeting opened by Industry and Trade minister Dr Abdallah Kigoda in the commercial city recently.

The government has started to work on ways which would ensure industrialists and other businesses work in a conducive environment.


The remarks were made recently in Dar es Salaam by Industry and Trade minister Dr Abdallah Kigoda when officiating at the 25th annual general meeting of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), Dar es Salaam Region.

He said the government intends to fix taxes which would promote the establishment of more industries countrywide.

“We want to have proportional taxes that would enable more industries to be set up, create more employment opportunities and reliable income sources,” he said.
Dr Kigoda also urged TCCIA members to pay tax so as to help build the country’s economy.

“You have to pay tax accordingly to the law so as to enable the government to carry out its activities,” he said.

He pledged to work on the challenge facing the TCCIA in securing a licence from Bank of Tanzania (BoT) to commence its microfinance activities.
“I understand that there are millions of SMEs who do not have access to loans, I will talk to the Finance minister to see how we can solve this problem,” he promised.

For his part, the TCCIA president, Peter Chisawilo, urged the government to speed up the issuance of the licence so as to enable them to start giving out loans to its members.

“It is now three months since we applied for a licence from the BoT, and members are eagerly waiting for us to offer them the services which are of great importance to the development of their businesses,” he said.

According to him up to the moment, the organization has recruited over 20,000 businessmen, traders and farmers who want to have money for the development of their businesses.

Speaking earlier the TCCIA Dar es Salaam Regional Chamber chairman Francis Lukwaro, said the meeting discuss the challenges facing the business sector including the use of electronic fiscal devices (EFDs).

He said officials from Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) educated TCCIA members on tax issues and the gadgets and how they operate in order to minimise confusion.

“We do not have any problem with these devices, I urge members to cooperate with the revenue body and in case there is anything wrong let’s talk instead of boycotting,” he said.

According to him, the TCCIA Dar es Salaam Regional Chamber is in the process of establishing its own credit society (saccos).

He said during the early 2014, the major thrust was to strengthen the operations of regional office with a specific focus on raising TCCIA awareness in the business community in the area and increase the membership across all levels and sectors.

The expected outcome from the business plan is to be fast growing and dynamic chamber of commerce, industry and agriculture which will be widely recognized and become a premier chamber in the country.

The TCCIA Dar es Salaam region has over 1,200 members from various sectors including, industries, agriculture and services. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN