Irresponsible statements by the Minister of Energy and Minerals will cost our country dearly not only in developing the crucial Oil and Gas but also in attracting foreign direct investment. What is needed in Tanzania is transparency of contracts, sanctity of contracts and building the crucial capacity of TPDC and not mere words from the Minister who actually signs the contracts.
Announcing review of all production sharing agreements (PSA) to be done by the new board of TPDC is simply a publicity stunt by the Minister. What the Minister is unaware of and totally ignorant of is the fact that many reviews have been done and nothing has been done about it. The Parliamentary committee on Public organisations (POAC) had asked TPDC through the office of the CAG to audit all the contracts. Out of 26 contracts, only 4 were audited and one (PanAfrica Energy) was found to have inflated their costs to the tune of USD 26 Million. So review will add nothing except earn short lived publicity for the Minister for his cow boy approach while throwing the sector in huge UNCERTAINTY and slowing down momentum.
Borrowing the words of the US President Barack Obama…..The Minister is shooting first and aiming later portraying a confrontation approach that is ill-advised. His approach on how he is handling this sector will cost our country dearly. The oil and gas companies are very cautious and one thing is certain : they don’t work in uncertain environments where contracts are under threat of being revoked.
What is needed in Tanzania is TRANSPARENCY. The contracts must be made public and the new law must give powers to Parliament to approve the contracts. That is the transformation we need to ensure that our country benefits from it's resources. If the Minister is serious about walking the talk he must bring these amendments to Parliament instead of uttering irresponsible statements in press conferences.
Another sensible radical transformation needed now is the enactment of the Petroleum Revenue Management act. It doesn't help just mentioning 'revenue must not go to treasury'. We must be clear on how we will use this income now to ensure all Tanzanians and their children see the benefits. Establishment of sovereign development fund instead of a sovereign wealth fund shall be a unique departure for Tanzania from the resource curse other African countries are suffering.
We (Tanzania) are competing with Mozambique to build the first LNG plant to supply the Far East Asian markets out of East Africa. While our neighbors are working hard and on time, we do the talking. This must end
Zitto Kabwe
Shadow Finance Minister
Hon Kabwe,I see nothing wrong of the govt re-examining or going through these contracts. Watu wametajirika kwa kusign hayou makaratasi. I think it is a great idea. Although no one goes to jail even when it is clear that the whole process was corrupt. Problem ya nchi yetu ni hakuna uwajibikaji. Very sad story, watu wanakula nchi as if there is no tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHIVI WEWE ZITO, UNAPINGA HATA VIZURI? HATUA HIYO NI SEHEMU YA HIYO TRANSPARENCY UNAYOIPIGIA DEBE. KWA MIKATABA MIPYA TRANSPARENCY INAWEZA KUFANYA KAZI NA KWA MIKATABA YA ZAMANI REVIEW NI MUHIMU. KAMA HAWAJAFICHA KITU HAWANA HAJA YA KUWA NA WASIWASI. KWANI UKISIKIA WANATAFUTA MWIZI NA WEWE SI MWIZI UNAWEZA KUWA NA WASIWASI KWELI?
ReplyDeleteUBISHI MWINGINE HAUNA HATA MAANA.
wow !! ndugu hapo juu,umenena so well.God bless you sir,madam or the rest laiti kama ungeliweka jina lako,yaani we acha tu ,nchi inatafunwa as there is no end of life,people got money than all USA presidents combine,the recipe of getting filthy rich in Tanzania ,simply be a waziri for couple years or meneja Tannesco-yaani ni sawa na Mungu kuwa mjomba wako. Please GOD give me kauwaziri.
ReplyDeleteWe unaye tamani kauwaziri unataka nawewe uibe?Kama ni hivyo nani atawasaidia watanzania wanyonge kufaidi rasilimali zao?
ReplyDeleteWhat matter is to make sure that Tanzania get an opportunity with the resources finds for GAS+OIL towards reaping it's returns against whoever the envious competitors arround us.
ReplyDeleteWe must make sure tha THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA gets lion's head share with the gas & oil resources worldwide!
ReplyDeleteMI huyu Zito wala simuelewagi. Yani hapo ulichoona ni wivu kuwa Waziri atapata sifa. Ninazidi ku doubt uelewa wako day by day.
ReplyDeleteLet the Minister be. Mtu akijitahidi kuchapa kazi mnaleta midomo, akizembea midomo. Prof. Muhongo ignore watu kama hao. Watanzania wengi tuko nyuma yako. Chapa kazi baba
Unaongelea kutisha investors...who ever atakayeogopa hatuna shida nae , kwani atakuwa ni wale wale ma investor wezi. Its better to leave our resources on the ground than giving them away to the so called investors who dont want to be scrutinized.
Na wewe Zito umeshakuwa darling wa investors???? Badala ya kufikiria maslahi ya wananchi unaogopa kumuuzi investor?
ReplyDeleteHakuna nchi ilomuogopa investor ikaendelea. This is our resources hawataki masharti yetu wachape lapa. Hili si shamba la bibi.
sasa Z.Kabwe,punguzeni ujinga wenu. Kila kitu mnapinga. Sidhani kama mna nia nzuri nyie watu. Maana its too much,kila kitu mnapinga.
ReplyDeleteHivi nyie jamaa wote mlioandika maoni hapo juu ni mtu mmoja au wote ndo niye mnakula pamoja hizo mali za taifa na waziri? Siwaelewi kabisa, wote mnampinga Zitto Kabwe, wakati sioni kibaya alichosema. TRANSPARENCY manaake nini?! Si uwazi!. Naona mnachanganya watu tu, ndiyo maana nimesema inaonekana mtu mmoja anarudia tu kuandika maoni kuonekana anasupport serikali lakini "tunaona mpaka kwenye ngozi hata kama umejipaka vipodozi"
ReplyDelete