JK to chair business meeting on Monday

BY THE GUARDIAN REPORTER

13th December 2013

Dr Mary Nagu, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (Investment & Empowerment)

President Jakaya Kikwete will on Monday chair the 7th National Business Council meeting that will bring together key officials from public and private sectors.

The Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (Investment & Empowerment), Dr Mary Nagu, announced this in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

She told reporters that the meeting will provide a platform for the sectors to discuss issues related to the business climate and chart the way forward.

“The Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) has completed all preparations for the meeting. Stakeholders, through the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), will fully participate at the meeting,” she said. 
Nagu said it was undeniable that the economy of any country depends heavily on the private sector. The government’s duty, she said, is to ensure a conducive environment so as to speed up business and investment growth.

“This meeting is of paramount significance and it is up to the private sector to take advantage of the meeting which will have equal representation from both sides,” the minister said.

She said the meeting will also be used to discuss various challenges, including unemployment among the youth and how the private sector should be consolidated to create jobs.

“Our country has plenty of fertile land for agriculture, minerals, national parks and natural gas. If all these are managed properly we can make head way,” she explained.

She said the Central Bank and Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs were supposed to look at how best they can compel financial institutions to give loans to support business and investment.

Earlier, the TNBC Executive Secretary, Raymond Mbilinyi, said the meeting was being convened at the right time when the two sectors need to meet and discuss many issues for the national interest.

“We (TNBC) are well prepared for the meeting,” he said, adding that several presentations will be made at the conference.

Mbilinyi, whose institution is has organised the conference, said it will be a good opportunity for the two sectors as they stand a better chance to move the country forward.

“This country cannot be built by people from outside, but Tanzanians themselves and meetings like that of Monday are very important,” Mbilinyi stressed.
President Kikwete is the chairman of TNBC while the chairman of TPSF, Dr. Reginald Mengi, is the vice-chairman. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN