MOROGORO: THE government has vowed to revoke mining licences that remain undeveloped and reallocate them to investors capable of advancing mineral exploration and mining activities.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Minerals, Engineer Yahya Samamba, issued the warning during a working session held here, which brought together the management of the Mining Commission, Assistant Mining Inspectors and institutions under the ministry, including the State Mining Corporation (STAMICO).
Eng Samamba directed Regional Resident Mining Officers to ensure that licence holders develop their mining areas in accordance with the terms and conditions of their licences.
He stressed that the government will not hesitate to revoke licences that remain idle and reassign them to investors or applicants with the capacity and commitment to develop the projects.
The Permanent Secretary also called on Mining Commission officials across the country to strengthen oversight of the sector through effective licence management and timely resolution of mining-related disputes.
He further urged greater participation of Tanzanians across the mineral value chain to enable the sector to make an even bigger contribution to the national economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Meanwhile, STAMICO Chief Executive Officer Dr Venance Mwasse said the corporation continues to effectively deliver, generating 1.3bn/- from internal revenue sources over the past five years.
He said ongoing reforms and strategic initiatives have strengthened the corporation’s capacity to generate more than 100bn/- in revenue, enabling it to pay a 10bn/- dividend to the government.
For his part, Tanzania Gemmological Centre (TGC) Coordinator, Eng Ally Maganga, said the Centre is progressing with plans to establish a modern national gemstone museum.
He said the museum will preserve Tanzania’s unique gemstone heritage, including Tanzanite, for future generations, noting that gemstones are finite resources that cannot be replaced once depleted.
“At TGC, we have a responsibility to preserve the country’s gemstone wealth by showcasing unique gemstones found only in Tanzania, such as Tanzanite, so that future generations will still be able to see and appreciate them even after the resources are exhausted,” Eng Maganga added.