Mpina dissolves Marine Park board, suspends manager

From SYLIVESTER DOMASA in Dodoma

LIVESTOCK and Fisheries Minister Luhaga Mpina has suspended Marine Park and Reserves Unit Manager and dissolved the Board of Trustees over alleged poor performance and lack of cooperation.

Dr Milali Machumu who was managing the unit faces immediate suspension from the office following the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) report which was tabled in the National Assembly here last Wednesday. Addressing reporters, the minister said he also decided to dissolve the eight-person board under Prof John Machiwa over failure to effectively supervise the unit. “
I have directed the Permanent Secretary to form a special committee to investigate Dr Machumu,” said the minister while responding to the CAG audit report for the year ending June 30, 2017. CAG Prof Mussa Assad, in his report, implicated the Marine Park and Reserve Unit, which was established in 1994, in failure to effectively control marine park resources especially in Tanga and Mtwara. “
The unit failed to abide by procedures in the issuance of permits on the uses of marine resources,” the CAG wrote in report. Additionally, Prof Assad decried limited ocean patrols to fight smuggling and illegal extraction of marine resources. Mr Mpina conceded the faults in management of marine resources, accusing the management of failure to adhere to the set rules and procedures.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Dr Charles Tizeba said the ministry has trained at least 1,200 agro-input dealers on better use of the pesticides. He said it has also reached out to vegetable farmers especially exporters to Asia and Europe on key pesticide guidelines to ensure they meet the international standards
. Dr Tizeba blamed dishonest traders who import substandard and cheap pesticides, warning that stern measures will be taken against them. “We’re working with the security organs to improve patrols against smugglers of illegal pesticides,” he said