Govt forms team to draw up natural resource charter

BY MALELA KASSIM

13th December 2013

Ambassador Ombeni Sefue, Chief Secretary

A team of 16 experts has been formed to oversee preparations of the national natural resource charter and advise the government on exploitation and investments in natural resources.

It is also expected to assist the government in diagnosing gaps and opportunities along the decision chain for natural resource management, from extraction to investigations on financial proceeds.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday during the launch of the panel organised by UONGOZI Institute, the Chief Secretary, Ambassador Ombeni Sefue, said the panel’s recommendations will be used to establish guidelines for a programme to improve governance and economic management of natural resources.
Said he:“Based on principles of good practice, the Natural Resource Charter is a framework for improved management of resources.

“It gives guidance on the chain of complex economic decisions that have to be made in order to transform extractive wealth under the ground into development above the ground.”

According to him, benchmarking will be carried out through a combination of research, technical guidance and wide stakeholder consultations.

The purpose is to respond to questions that may arise under each of the 12 principles to inform the process, he said, explaining: “The exercise will take one year and all the panel members are Tanzanians.”

Members appointed to the panel include Prof Florens Luoga from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM-chair of the panel), Julieth Kairuki from the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and Eng Norbert Kahyoza from Ministry of Energy and Minerals.

Others are: Charles Mwapinga from Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Gabriel Bujulu from Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and Dr Fidea Mgina from the Ministry of Industries and Trade.

In the panel are also Athumani Kwariko from Tanzania Extractive Industries Transparency International (TEITI) and Ignace Mchallo from the Vice President’s Office,
He mentioned other members as Siraji Majura from the Ministry of Finance, Godwin Nyelo from the Tanzania Chamber of Minerals and Energy, John Ulanga from the Foundation for Civil Society and Deo Mwanyika from the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF).

The list includes Prof. Yonika Ngaga from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Prof.Hamudi Ismail Majamba from UDSM.

“We will be appointing two more individuals, one from the Bank of Tanzania and another from the Planning Commission,” he said. He directed the panel members to focus on the national interest.

Meanwhile, Paul Collier, professor of economics and public policy at Oxford University emphasised the need for indigenous people to be empowered.

He said capacity building in managing and utilising resources is vital for generating best returns for the country,
“In handling resources, citizens must be empowered…they are the ones supposed to have power over the government. Citizens’ power should also involve responsibilities because power without responsibilities is nothing,’’ he declared. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN