Tanzania, Finland sign mineral research MoU

Minerals and Energy Minister, Prof Sospeter Muhongo

 Goverments of Tanzania and Finland on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct researches to identify availability of minerals in the Southern parts of the country.


Under the agreement between the Geological Survey of Tanzania and a Finland based Geological Survey agency, it is expected that the sector in the country will be improved for socio-economic development.

Giving remarks after signing the MoU in Dar es Salaam, Minerals and Energy Minister, Prof Sospeter Muhongo said the government has entered the agreement with the Finnish agency so that it can learn from Finland and improve the geological sector in the country.

He said Finland has a lot of experience in the mineral sector and it is an opportunity for local experts to learn from them.

According to him, the country is still short of power but the government is aiming to migrate from the use of hydroelectric power to the use of natural gas, solar power and bio-energy.

He called on investors to invest in the energy sector in the country, saying it still needs more power to speed up economic growth.

Prof Muhongo added that investments in power transmission and distribution are also open for investors.

Earlier on, Prime Minister of Finland, Jyrki Katainen said that relations between the two countries have been good since 1960’s.That is why investors from Finland are operating in various sectors in the country.

The Finnish Premier said research and the use of technology are important aspects of industrial development.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Plans for education for sustainable development in school curriculum

The Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) is working to incorporate education for sustainable development in the education curriculum for schools.

The Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) is working to incorporate education for sustainable development in the education curriculum for schools, it has been learnt.

A participant in the stakeholders meeting on education for sustainable development held in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Aisha Ghuyiya from TIE, said it was working to slot in such education from primary schools to higher learning institutions.

She said if the education is included in the education curriculum children will be made aware of the importance of proper utilization of natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

“The process is at a good stage and once completed will help in creating awareness   among members of the public,’ she said.

Ghuhiya advised   stakeholders to use the social media like community radios, television and newspapers to disseminate education to the public. These can now be accessed by most people in contrast with previous years, she said.

For his part, the coordinator of WWF Lake Victoria Catchment Environment Education Program (LCVEEP), Kelvin Robert, said concerted efforts are required to ensure that the society is fully mobilized to know the importance of utilizing the resources for sustainable development.

“It is broadly understood that today’s generation of young adults, more than any proceeding one, is more interconnected and communicative than before.

“This is particularly through the electronic and social media as well as face to face communication. So it is now time to use the youth to spread the education for sustainable development. This is because they are very capable of doing  so,”  Robert noted.

He said the WWF, through youth groups, has changed attitudes of members of the public in the Lake Victoria zone. They are now aware of proper utilization of natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.

They know how to preserve the environment after getting education for sustainable development, he added.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Mwanza councillors approve 88bn/- for 2014/2015 budget

Mwanza city

Councilors here have endorsed 88bn/- budget for 2014/2015, few days after they rejected the earlier one tabled by the Mwanza City Council demanding for amendment.

Last week, the Mwanza City Council presented 87.3 bn/- budget but it was rejected by the councilors, claiming that it does not reflect the actual demands of the people.

The councilors, both from the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi and the opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo instead ordered the city fathers to amend the budget and bring back a realistic one.

The amended budget of 88bn/- was endorsed late Tuesday after a long and heated debate which lasted  four hours, and this was after the city fathers promised to improve it for the betterment of Mwanza residents.

 The issue the construction of a clinic at Utemini took a centre stage at the Full Council meeting chaired by the Deputy Mayor John Minja.

The councilors demanded explanation from the City officials on how the money disbursed by the Bank of Tanzania (BOT) to build the clinic was spent.

Councilor for Igoma Adam Chagulani said unless the councilors get satisfactory explanation on how the money was spent, they would not endorse the budget.

 Chagulani said it would be unfair to milk wananchi to contribute towards the construction of the clinic yet the money was allocated for the purpose. He said all those involved in misappropriating the money should be dealt with accordingly. 

 For his part, councilor for Mirongo Ward Daud Mkama called on city fathers to explain as to why 800m/- was spent without the blessing of the full Council.
Responding to queries raised by the councilors, the City Council Human Resource Officer,

Francis Mkabenga said the council took 850m/- from BOT’s disbursed money and used the same as a guarantor to secure 800m/- from CRDB. He said the money was meant to run the council which was cash strapped.

Mkabenga however, said that they later failed to pay back the money to the CRDB forcing the bank to deduct its money from the 3.1bn/- disbursed by the BOT.

The budget was endorsed after collection from internal revenues was raised to 10bn/- from 9bn/- which was rejected in the earlier proposed budget.

The councilors agreed that the increased amount of 1bn/- from the internal revenue be directed to improve education and health services.

They also challenged the city fathers to increase the scope of revenue collection in order to raise sources of income.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Ambassador Ndagiza chair of APRM Eminent Persons

Former Rwandan Ambassador to Tanzania, Fatma Ndagiza

Former Rwandan Ambassador to Tanzania, Fatma Ndagiza has been appointed new chair of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The panel is the main advisory body to APRM Heads of State and government.

The appointment was announced at the end of the 20th Summit of APRM Heads of State and government held on Wednesday in Addis Ababa.

A press release from APRM headquarters said Ambassador Ndangiza succeeds the outgoing Chairperson of the APR Panel, Barrister Akere Tabeng Muna who served as a panel member from the inception of the Mechanism in 2003 up to this month. Muna was also a team leader of the Tanzanian review process. 

“She was first appointed as member of the APR Panel of Eminent Persons at the 16th Summit of the APR Forum in 2012. She is currently serving as the Deputy CEO of the Rwanda Governance Board. Prior to her assumption of these positions, she served as Rwandan Ambassador to Tanzania and was also accredited to Malawi, Zambia, Seychelles and Madagascar,” said the statement.

Speaking after the appointment, Ambassador Ndagiza expressed her commitment to strengthen the Mechanism to greater heights. She said her tenure as the Chairperson of APRM starts at a time when the APRM celebrate its 10th Anniversary and when there is great interest in the replication of the successes of the Mechanism from other Continents. 

Speaking about the appointment in Addis Ababa, the APRM Tanzania Executive Secretary, Rehema Twalib who attended the meeting said apart from the appointment of Ambassador Ndagiza, some more countries joined the APRM and South Africa and Mozambique presented their progress reports.

Tanzania is among the 34 members out of 54 African Union member states who have voluntarily joined the mechanism which seeks to foster accelerated development, adoption of democratic principles and cherishing principles of good governance among member states.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Govt praised for youth fund boost

Acting Director of the Department of Youth Development in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, James Kajugusi.

The government has been hailed for increasing the youth’s fund budget hence opening doors for them to contribute to national development.

Acting Director of the Department of Youth Development in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, James Kajugusi said on Wednesday.

Addressing the Femina Hip Annual Youth Conference in Dar es Salaam, Kajugusi said the government has in this financial year set aside 6.1bn/- for the youth fund to allow more youths benefit from the loans. He noted that funds allocated for youths in previous fiscal years were not enough compared to demand.

“The increased budget in the youths’ fund has opened doors for many youths in groups across the country to easily acquire loans,” said Kajugusi, adding that the government aims to support youths as it recognises their contribution to national development.

He called upon youths across the country to form groups so that they can easily access loans from the youth fund and vijana saccos which have been established in every district. He said through the funds, the youths can engage themselves in entrepreneurial activities instead of waiting for formal employment.

He suggested for the introduction of a subject on entrepreneurial skills in education curriculum and the need for participatory teaching methods to build youths capacity in terms of thinking, innovation and creativity.

“We have invested in youth economic development and mobilisation because we need to have independent fathers and mothers in the future who will be able to run their lives through self employment,” he said.

Femina Board member, Astronaut Bagile called upon the youth to respect and embrace volunteerism especially in social issues without thinking of getting any payment, saying it is the best way for them to improve their skills and create networks that will help them reach their goals.

Raswiu Rashid, a student from Nakake Secondary School in Karagwe said he has learned that volunteerism pays because it helps one sharpen their skills.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN