AS the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and PPF Fund have begun initial preparations for establishment of a joint sugar factory at Mkulazi area, Morogoro Region, the government has set aside 17bn/- for the project.
The factory, which will be producing
200,000 tonnes per year, is estimated to be the largest in East and
Central Africa. The project will also open employment vacancies to more
than 100,000 people at the beginning, with the number, as well as
production, set to increase as the time goes on.
Speaking to Mkulazi villagers when he
visited the project over the weekend, the Minister for Finance and
Planning, Dr Phillip Mpango, said the government had already allocated
17bn/- in the 2016/2017 financial year for finalising the compensation
to residents living in the project site occupying 63,000 acres.
“Our target is to produce the amount of
sugar that meets our domestic demand and export surplus to neighbouring
countries. I appeal to youth of this area to ensure that they are in
groups so that they can implement various projects related to the larger
one, these include producing more raw materials for the factory,’’ he
said.
Dr Mpango further called upon government
officials in the district, including engineers to ensure that they
invest much of their time in supervising the ongoing construction of the
61-km road heading to the project under the economic wing of the
National Service, JKT, SUMA JKT.
“The road will be used to transport
various goods from and to the factory so failure to supervise the
contractor properly will lead us to have a road constructed below
standard like the current one, which was constructed just a few years
ago …as Finance minister, I won’t allow that to happen,’’ he insisted.
On her part, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office
(Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the
Disabled), Ms Jenista Mhagama, who was accompanied by Dr Mpango, apart
from applauding the two pension funds, promised the villagers that the
project will give more priority to local residents, especially youth."This project is influenced by President John Magufuli’s ambition of moving the country’s economy to an industrial-based one. I want this to be one of its kind '' said Ms Mhagama, who was also accompanied by Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Dr Stephen Kebwe, the area’s MP, Omari Mgumba, representatives from the company, which undertakes the project, Mkulazi Holding Company, as well as other government officials.
Ms Mhagama further urged the project’s implementers to identify in advance the kind of human resources required to avoid the issue of importing expatriates from outside the country to come and do the tasks that could be done by locals if they were to be developed earlier.
Dr Kebwe, apart from promising his commitment towards the project until its completion, urged the youth in the area to ensure they work harder rather than rely on women and elders to undertake productive activities
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