SCRAP METAL DEALERS WELCOME TAX CUT AS MINISTER REASSURED THEM OF GREAT SUPPORT

Minister of State in Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment) George Simbachawene speaks to scrap metal dealers in Dar es salaam today. Second right is  the  National Environment Council(NEMC) Director General ,Dr Samuel Gwamaka together with Acting Director of Environment in the Vice President’s  Office Ms Kemilembe Mutasa ( first right) and NEMC Board Vice- Chairman Prof Hussein Sosovele( first left).

From Our Correspondent in Dar es Salaam

The government has it has no problem with honest scrap metal dealers because they are key stakeholders in creating many jobs, generating foreign currency and in preserving environment.

Minister of State in Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment) George Simbachawene, told dealers who attended a one-day consultation meeting today in Dar es salaam that the government had no reservations about their business as long as it was conducted in accordance with international accords which Tanzania has ratified.

“You are part of a big international business. The government is aware of your importance in our journey to becoming a middle-income nation. We are aware of the challenges you are facing and that you have heavily invested in this field,” Minister Simbachawene told the meeting

The meeting was organised by the National Environment Management Council (NEMC).

He said the government has “cut export levy by half, from 10 to five million. Collectors will pay 500,000/-, he announced to the cheers of delegates, further assuring them that the government
was working on the challenges they were facing. 

 He also announced that all licences have been invalidated and traders will apply for new licences and that NEMC will coordinate the exercise.

NEMC Director General, Dr Samuel Gwamaka stresses a point during the meeting 

NEMC Director General, Dr Samuel Gwamaka, said experience had shown that scrap metal dealers were breaking the law without knowing.

.Dr Gwamaka advised the dealers to get guidance from eight NEMC zonal offices.

 “NEMC will carry out all government directives and it will not be a
stumbling block as the nation implements government policies toward
industrialization and poverty alleviation, Dr Gwamaka pledged.

Mr Juma Kambi, an exporter of scrap metal  said dealers received the tax cut with great relief and many thanks to the government, explaining that   most  traders have a weak capital base and therefore were unable to meet conditions set by NEMC in order to engage in that
business.

“This tax cut will increase our capital and productivity in our business. Therefore, more public revenue will be collected from our increased business,” he told the minister.

He said the results of the meeting have a breathed in a new life in the scrap metal business.