Speaking to The Guardian yesterday in Arusha during a leadership election meeting, the only place in the World where the mineral is mined commercially, the Tamida Vice Chairman Thomas Munisi said that mineral smuggling has denied the country revenue and affected the country’s economic growth.
“There are mineral dealers who have been violating rules and regulations by smuggling minerals through the neighbouring countries and denying the government revenue,” he said.
“Our team is well organised to ensure that mineral smugglers are dealt with accordingly…we will collaborate with security organs to curb the problem,” he added.
“Our country is endowed with abundant resources including tanzanite which is available only in Tanzania but there are traders who are smuggling the minerals…we shall work hard to curb this illegal business,” he pledged.He said apart from helping the government earn revenue, the Association has also set up strategies of promoting good relations with mineral dealers from various parts in Africa and across the globe and advertised them of the resources available in Tanzania’s mining sector.
He called upon mineral dealers in the country to join the Association so to explore available opportunities that will improve efficiency in their businesses.
The new Tanzania Mineral Dealers Association (TAMIDA) leaders elected at the meeting include Sammy Mollel the Chairperson, Dimitri Manthakisi the Secretary General , Bernard Mutalemwa the Assistant Secretary General and Hussein Gonga the Treasurer.
The meeting also elected members of the Executive Committee Emmanuel Sunda, Bakari Kungu, Salim Mruma, Abdul Mansur, Samir Peter, Nick Kwendo and Peter Pereira.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Minerals gemstones from Tanzania worth 635bn/- are smuggled out of the country annually. Yet, speaking during the third installment of the annual Arusha Gem Fair (2014) in Arusha, the Commissioner for Minerals in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Engineer Paul Masanja, said official export figures for tanzanite in Tanzania bring home a mere 38 million US dollars every year.
In February this year, the Tanzania Mineral Audit Agency (TMAA) in collaboration with other government authorities intercepted smuggled minerals valued at USD 113,807 (642m/-) in just 27 incidents at various international airports around the country.
The TMAA Information Officer Yisambi Shiwa said all the incidents were intercepted during checking and inspection at airports between January and December 2014. The incidents in 2014 were smaller compared to 2013 where they registered at least 32 incidents of smuggled gems valued at 2bn/-.
He associated the reduced smuggling cases to good cooperation from Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA), Police and the Immigration department.
Shiwa said that the law governing the industry requires that before one sells minerals abroad, they should have a license for the business and a permit to possess the stones and they must also have a royalty certificate.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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