Rice import permits suspended

KATARE MBASHIRU in Dodoma

Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa

• Security tightened at borders, coastline
  Sugar imports allowed

THE Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, has ordered security organs to tighten security in border points and along coastal areas to curb smuggling and illegal importation of rice.

Winding up debate on his office‘s budget estimates, Mr Majaliwa told the National Assembly here yesterday that the government has suspended all permits for importation of rice in the country because of the current increase in local production.

The premier told the National Assembly that the decision would help local farmers to have good prices of their rice and improve their living standards.

According to him, in the 2014/15 financial year, local rice production stood at 1,936,909 tonnes against the target of 926,096 tonnes. Therefore, he said, there was an excess of 1,010, 813 tonnes which is equivalent to 47.8 per cent.

On the other hand, following shortage of sugar in the country, Mr Majaliwa has said the government will import sugar to tackle the scarcity.

According to the PM, the country has sugar production capacity of 320,000 per year while the required amount of sugar stood at 420,000 tonnes and that there was a scarcity of 100,000 tonnes.

Responding to queries raised by MPs when debating the 2016/17 budget estimates, Mr Majaliwa noted that there was a stock of sugar of about 37,000 tonnes in the country, which he said was in the market.

‘”The government has already ordered sugar to cover the deficit and a few days from today it should be in the country,’’ said the PM, adding that the government was avoiding ordering a huge consignment to avoid crippling local industries.

However, Mr Majaliwa added, the government was putting measures in place to ensure that there was enough production of sugar in the country to avoid importing the essential commodity.

The prime minister asked traders and major distributors trying to hoard sugar to create artificial shortage to justify price hikes to release the commodity immediately.

“I hereby direct all business officers in various district councils to make regular follow ups in different shops to ensure businesspeople don’t connive to hoard sugar to justify the price hike so that people can purchase the product at an indicative price by the government.

The prime minister further said that in implementing the promise delivered during last year’s presidential election campaigns – that of empowering Tanzanians, the government has allocated 59bn/- for village empowerment in the 2016/17 financial year.

The money, according to the PM, would be provided through revolving fund, which would be coordinated by the National Economic Empowerment Council.

According to the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and People living with Disability), Ms Jenister Mhagama, empowerment would be managed by Regional Administration and Local Government.

Mr Majaliwa further defended President John Magufuli on the claims by the opposition camp that the Fifth Phase government was operating illegally for what the opposition termed as failure to provide ‘instrument’ to enable members of the cabinet to discharge their duties.

According to the PM, the delay by the Head of State was prompted by the fact that he was still putting up his line-up in the executive.

“Procedures for a government gazette are afoot because the president signed the instrument since April 20 - and the ministers are currently working legally under the directives of the president,’’ he said.

Mr Majaliwa also said the government was making efforts to clear the Medical Stores Department (MSD) 134bn/- debt.

“The government has started working on the debt by directing the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) to verify it and as of now the CAG has confirmed 67bn/- and the exercise is still ongoing,” he hinted.

To reduce backlogs of contracts in the office of the Attorney General (AG) and fast track procurement in local government authorities, Mr Majaliwa said contracts that are below 1bn/- will now be signed by lawyers in the respective district councils.

“But proper legal procedures should be followed while the government will not hesitate to take appropriate legal action against officials who will abuse this discretion,’’ he added.

Yesterday, MPs approved 236.8 billion/- budget estimates for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for the fiscal year 2016/2017, out of which 71.6 billion is for recurrent expenditure while 165.2 is for development expenditure.