The
Minister of Minerals, Hon. Anthony Mavunde held a meeting on Saturday (August
24) with the Association of Brokers for Mineral Trade (CHAMMATA) to address
challenges faced by mineral traders in the country.
The
meeting took place in Dar es Salaam, focusing on finding practical solutions to
improve mineral trading.
The
meeting was attended by key figures, including Deputy Minister of Minerals Dr.
Steven Kiruswa, Permanent Secretary Engineer Yahya Samamba, and Commissioner of
Minerals Dr. AbdulRahman Mwanga, along with senior officials from the Mineral
Commission and CHAMMATA leaders.
Minister
Mavunde commended CHAMMATA to establish a physical office and create a system
for identifying brokers.
He assured
that the government is ready to recognize middle-scale traders through
CHAMMATA, which will enhance their operations and facilitate easier government
access.
“Once you
have set up your office and identified your members, I will provide you with
office equipment like computers and printers. It’s important that you have an
official address and registered office,” Minister Mavunde said.
He also
highlighted the government’s efforts to encourage banks to work with the
mineral sector by offering loans, noting that over TZS 10 billion was recently
given to miners in the Shinyanga region.
The
Minister stressed the importance of traders maintaining accurate records of
their activities to build trust with financial institutions.
Minister
Mavunde reiterated that foreign traders should remain in designated markets and
are not allowed to visit mining sites.
He
emphasized that foreign traders are large-scale operators, not middle-level
ones, and assured that the government will conduct inspections to ensure this
rule is followed.
He
directed the Permanent Secretary of Minerals to create a system that allows
mineral trading licenses to be used across multiple regions, addressing
concerns raised by CHAMMATA and improving the business environment.
CHAMMATA
Chairman Jeremiah Kituyo presented the challenges faced by traders and
requested the Ministry's assistance. He pointed out that the regional issuance
of licenses limits their effectiveness.
Kituyo
also praised the government for fostering cooperation between banks and the
mineral sector, highlighting a recent TZS 300 million loan provided to 25
brokers in the Arusha region as a positive step.
Kituyo
further thanked the Ministry for allowing small-scale auctions in Mirerani,
noting that these auctions have significantly boosted the local economy.
He requested that this initiative be expanded to include other gemstones, particularly diamonds.
Deputy
Minister of Minerals Dr. Steven Kiruswa emphasized the importance of CHAMMATA
establishing a formal structure and suggested regular meetings with the
Ministry to discuss issues related to mineral trading.
He believes this would help create a better business environment for the mineral industry in Tanzania.
Engineer
Yahya Samamba, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Minerals, said the
meeting aimed to find solutions to the challenges raised by stakeholders.
He
confirmed the Ministry's commitment to working with different groups to ensure
the mineral sector continues to contribute to Tanzania’s economic growth.
