Govt set to revoke ownership of undeveloped sisal plantations
Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development William Lukuvi
What you need to know:
- Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development minister William Lukuvi has directed the Tanzania Sisal Board (TSB) to assess the farms across the country.
- · The minister says the government needs to benefit from its decision to privatise the plantations more than how it is currently doing.
Same. Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development William Lukuvi has directed the Tanzania Sisal Board (TSB) to assess sisal plantations across the country and revoke ownership of people who have failed to develop the farms.
Mr Lukuvi directed that retaken farms be given to investors with the ability to develop them to acceptable levels.
"The government has no intention to chase away investors, rather it welcomes efficient investment that will increase the country’s revenues,” he said.
Mr Lukuvi gave the directive on Saturday, October 27, in Ndungu Ward when addressing LM Investment workers that owns 3,000 acres of sisal plantations in Same District, Kilimanjaro Region.
Addressing workers, Mr Lukuvi said he was not satisfied with the way the company was operating, noting that the government was not benefiting with investment in the area.
"The company owns 3,000 acres of land but it pays a small amount of money to the government, which is not acceptable,” he said.
He said the trend was the same with investments made in other sisal plantations that have been privatised in government’s efforts to increase productivity.
"TSB should ensure sisal plantations are well supervised and enough revenue is collected to benefit the country. Investors who fail to develop their land should have their certificate of occupancy revoked,” he said.
According to Mr Lukuvi, LM Investment was collecting Sh80 million annually in revenues from the 3,000 acres they own, a situation he referred to as “a child’s game.”
LM Investment director Omari Mndeme pledged to make major reforms in developing the land to increase production and revenue generated in order to benefit the country.
He said reforms will also increase employment opportunities for the youth, a move that will address unemployment challenges facing the district.
"We promise to increase capital and production techniques. We will also give the youth long term employment contracts and ensure government revenues are increased,” he said.
